Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday reiterated his determination to work "to realize Palestinian independence and sovereignty."
Speaking on the 36th anniversary of the "Palestinian Declaration of Independence by the PLO," Abbas said that "the declaration of independence in 1988 was not a symbolic move, but rather is the central goal of the Palestinian national resistance, a legitimate right and an expression of the unbreakable bond between the Palestinian people and their historic homeland."
Abbas noted that "any discussion regarding the preservation of the two-state solution must begin with an immediate cessation of aggression against the Gaza Strip."
He called on the international community to allow the Palestinian Authority to receive full membership in the UN General Assembly.
"We emphasize that we will never deviate, compromise or bargain for our rights and our national principles, and these are the goals for which tens of thousands of shaheeds and heroic prisoners have sacrificed," said Abbas.
He added, "Our hand will continue to be extended for peace, but not at any price, as peace begins with our right to an independent and sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital."
Abbas concluded his remarks by praising the terrorists and perpetrators of acts of terror against Jews, including the Nukhba terrorists who carried out the murderous attack on October 7, 2023.