President Mahmoud Abbas received today a phone call from US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, during which they discussed the latest developments and the need to create a political horizon ahead of President Joe Biden’s visit to the region.

The President welcomed President Biden’s upcoming visit to Palestine, saying he hopes the visit would contribute to creating the political horizon needed to achieve a just and comprehensive peace based on the foundations of international legitimacy, the two-state solution and the pre-1967 borders. He told Blinken that ending the Israeli occupation of the land of the State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, was a must for peacemaking.

During the call, President Abbas expressed his hope that the visit would translate President Biden’s belief in the importance of achieving the two-state solution, ending settlement expansion, preventing the expulsion of Palestinians from Jerusalem, preserving the historical status of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, stopping unilateral actions, reopening the US Consulate in East Jerusalem and removing the PLO from the list of terror organizations.

The President added that all unilateral Israeli actions and aggressive practices towards our people, their land and their holy sites must stop, especially the incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque, the restrictions on the freedom of worship in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the ongoing raids on Palestinian cities, villages and refugee camps and the ensuing killings of defenseless citizens.

President Abbas also told Blinken that Israel’s deductions from the Palestinian tax revenues need to stop, and that should all of these Israeli practices persist the Palestinian leadership may find itself with no choice but to implement the resolutions of the PLO Central Council.

The situation on the ground is unbearable and cannot be tolerated, the President pointed out, adding that we will continue to work to protect the interests of our people and for the Palestinian people to gain their freedom and independence.

US Secretary of State Blinken confirmed President Biden’s upcoming visit the region to meet President Mahmoud Abbas and to find the best ways to support the two-state solution and make tangible progress at all levels.

Source: Palestine News & Info Agency