Monday, 29 December 2008
Bethlehem – Ma’an – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)’s Executive Committee in Ramallah on Monday to discuss “the painful events” in the Gaza Strip.
President Abbas urged all factions, including Hamas, to take part in consultations about Gaza.
“The situation in Gaza is extremely dangerous, and today’s meeting will be dedicated to discussing the situation,” the official Palestinian Authority (PA) news agency, Wafa, quoted Abbas as saying on Monday.
Abbas reiterated his condemnation of the Israeli assault on Gaza, saying, “We wish the injured a speedy recovery, and we condemn the fierce Israeli assault against our people in the Gaza Strip.”
The Palestinian president called on the whole world to exert efforts to stop “Israeli aggression,” asserting that he has been contacting international, Arab and regional sides to try and stop the aggression “as soon as it started.”
Abbas added that he recommends the resumption of the ceasefire in Gaza in order to avoid more suffering there. The president also highlighted that Arab foreign ministers plan to hold a meeting Wednesday and that there will be an Arab League summit shortly thereafter.
“For the time being, we will send as much humanitarian aid as we can to our people in the Gaza Strip. We received aid from Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabi, Qatar and Libya, among other Arab countries,” Abbas added, calling on the world to send desperately needed aid.
The president added that the PA “[does] not want to blame Arab countries who are doing their best, especially Egypt. May peace be upon the Egyptian officer killed yesterday in a regrettable incident.”
“We should avoid pointing fingers toward those who support the Palestinian people as much as they can,” Abbas insisted.
