Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, currently visiting Russia, has asserted that lasting peace in West Asia hinges on the liberation of Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories and the establishment of two sovereign states—Arab and Jewish. In an interview with Russian state media TASS, Abbas stated, “The guarantee to achieve stability and security in the Middle East is the implementation of a decision on the formation of two states, based on international law, the withdrawal of Israel from the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, with East Jerusalem as the capital.”
Abbas criticized the current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “extremist government,” accusing it of undermining peace efforts and disregarding international law. He emphasized that for Israel to coexist peacefully with its neighbors, it must agree to a two-state solution within an international legal framework, including the Arab Peace Initiative.
Palestinian Ambassador to Russia, Abdel Hafiz Nofal, noted that Abbas is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 12-14. This visit coincides with calls from Egypt, Qatar, and the United States for renewed ceasefire discussions between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Ahead of his visit, Abbas expressed confidence that the Israeli government would not successfully separate Gaza from the West Bank through military means. He also discussed the peace process with Sputnik, underscoring his commitment to addressing the Palestinian settlement issues.
Tensions in West Asia have been heightened since October 7, 2003, when Hamas launched an attack on Israeli territory, leading to retaliatory strikes by Israel. The situation worsened following the recent deaths of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut, with Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah blaming Israel and threatening retaliation.
(With ANI Inputs)
