Abbas to focus on Jerusalem in speech to U.N. Security Council
By Sara Shayanian
Updated Feb. 20, 2018
Feb. 20 (UPI) -- In his speech to the United Nations on Tuesday, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas will confront the U.S. decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
Palestinian spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina said Abbas would center his speech around "Al-Quds," or Jerusalem, and on basic Palestinian principles.
"A new phase has begun in the struggle to preserve the overall goal of our Palestinian people, the Arab nation and the world as a whole, and this is the issue of Al-Quds, with its holy sites to Islam and Christianity, its heritage and history, which some are trying to counterfeit by contradicting all international laws which have always established that Al-Quds is Palestinian and Arab," Abu Rudeina said.
According to Foreign Minister Riyad Malki, the Palestinian leader is expected to provide the U.N. Security Council with a new peace initiative and plan.
Abbas will likely advocate for the establishment of a Palestinian state and a two-state solution.
In his speech, Abbas will also propose ideas to the security council on how to counter President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, move the U.S. embassy to the occupied city, close the Palestinian delegation office in Washington and cut aid to the Palestinians through the U.N. refugee agency.
Abbas's speech will come as Israel faces escalating tensions with Iran, a supporter of the Palestinian Authority.
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Expediency Council, said any attacks carried out on Iran by Israel would result in the destruction of Tel Aviv.
"The U.S. and Israeli leaders don't know Iran and don't understand the power of resistance and therefore, they continuously face defeat," Rezaei told the Hezbollah-affiliated Al Manar News in Lebanon.
"Today, the situation of the U.S. and Israel indicate their fear of the Zionist regime's collapse and the U.S. decline."
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-...ech-to-UN-Security-Council/4331519135845/ph3/
By Sara Shayanian
Updated Feb. 20, 2018
Feb. 20 (UPI) -- In his speech to the United Nations on Tuesday, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas will confront the U.S. decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
Palestinian spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina said Abbas would center his speech around "Al-Quds," or Jerusalem, and on basic Palestinian principles.
"A new phase has begun in the struggle to preserve the overall goal of our Palestinian people, the Arab nation and the world as a whole, and this is the issue of Al-Quds, with its holy sites to Islam and Christianity, its heritage and history, which some are trying to counterfeit by contradicting all international laws which have always established that Al-Quds is Palestinian and Arab," Abu Rudeina said.
According to Foreign Minister Riyad Malki, the Palestinian leader is expected to provide the U.N. Security Council with a new peace initiative and plan.
Abbas will likely advocate for the establishment of a Palestinian state and a two-state solution.
In his speech, Abbas will also propose ideas to the security council on how to counter President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, move the U.S. embassy to the occupied city, close the Palestinian delegation office in Washington and cut aid to the Palestinians through the U.N. refugee agency.
Abbas's speech will come as Israel faces escalating tensions with Iran, a supporter of the Palestinian Authority.
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Expediency Council, said any attacks carried out on Iran by Israel would result in the destruction of Tel Aviv.
"The U.S. and Israeli leaders don't know Iran and don't understand the power of resistance and therefore, they continuously face defeat," Rezaei told the Hezbollah-affiliated Al Manar News in Lebanon.
"Today, the situation of the U.S. and Israel indicate their fear of the Zionist regime's collapse and the U.S. decline."
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-...ech-to-UN-Security-Council/4331519135845/ph3/