Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is continuing the investigation into the death of the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat until it can “reveal the whole truth.” In a speech broadcast on national television (Palestine official) to mark the 11 anniversary of the death of Arafat, Abbas said “the national committee in charge of the investigation of the death of leader Abu Ammar (Arafat) have come a long way.”
He added that the Commission “will continue work to uncover the whole truth”, noting that Arafat died on this day in 2004 from a mysterious disease amid Palestinian accusations that Israel poisoned him.
Abbas stressed to continue Arafat’s path and determination of the Palestinian people “to live in freedom and dignity and thwart all colonial settlement schemes in Palestine in general and particularly in Jerusalem.”
“Security, stability and peace in the region will only be achieved to end the Israeli occupation of our land and our holy places and the independence of the State of Palestine with its capital in East Jerusalem on the 1967 borders” said Abbas.
Abbas addressed the Israeli people, saying that “the pursuit of your government to extend the life of its occupation and its settlement expansion and the desecration of Christian and Islamic holy places are all unacceptable actions and void, the factors that make peace elusive and fuel the conflict.”
He added that “attempting to change the historical situation in East Jerusalem, would turn the conflict into a religious matter, not a political one. The consequences of that would be disastrous for everyone, the people would not enjoy security, freedom and peace. No one will enjoy it.”
He stressed that “the status quo cannot continue, and even though we adhere to political and legal work…we do not accept negotiations for negotiations, we can continue to adhere to the agreements.”
(Agencies)
