p4arab
Posts : 143
Join date : 2010-09-25
 |  Subject: Abbas: My people have been waiting 60 years  Sun Sep 26, 2010 3:12 am | |
| President Mahmoud Abbas criticized the UN for failing to adapt "old mechanism" to meet present needs, during a speech Saturday before the UN General Assembly.
"Mr President, enforcing the role of the UN and all its agencies, at the top of which is UNRWA, is important. I know you are busy with the problems of our planet of disasters ... but my people have been waiting for their rights for 60 years," said Abbas.
Abbas called for reforming the UN Security Council to represent new world powers and to bring countries in violation of UN resolutions to justice to "make them comply to end the occupation, colonization ... to fight extremism, poverty, unemployment, desertification, disease and epidemics."
UN must 'stop Israel from imposing itself by force'
Speaking of ongoing peace talks with Israeli leaders, Abbas said it was vital "not to waste this opportunity for peace," but that Israel's "mentality of expansion and occupation" should be brought to an end.
He also called for the UN to stop Israel "from imposing itself by force by rejecting UN decisions, making the world believe there is a double standard [employed] at the UN, because Israel continues home demolitions, the siege, expulsion, judaizing, settlement activity, changing the features of Jerusalem and detaining thousands of prisoners."
Abbas further urged the UN to take action over Israeli practices in East Jerusalem and "stop Israel from changing its features. It is our capital. According to UNESCO, it is one of the most important places in human history that should be preserved." He also demanded an end to Israel's siege of Gaza "now and immediately."
"Despite the historical unfairness toward my people, we did not and will not backtrack on peace and our injured hands are still able to carry the olive branch from the tree that was uprooted by the occupation," he said.
Abbas is due to meet with US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton on Saturday for the second time since Friday to discuss Israel's decision not to extend a settlement freeze in the West Bank and the threat of a Palestinian withdrawal from talks as a result. | |
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