President Abbas Meets British Prime Minister

SadaNews - The President of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, met today, Monday, in London, with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, at his gracious invitation. The two sides discussed the latest developments in the occupied Palestinian territories, as well as the bilateral relations between Palestine and the United Kingdom. President Abbas expressed his deep appreciation for Prime Minister Starmer and the significant efforts he is making for peace, thanking him for the positions of the British government and its ongoing efforts to achieve a sustainable ceasefire, ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, and reject settlement expansion, settler violence, and the policy of annexation, while working diligently towards implementing the two-state solution. He particularly valued the historic decision of the United Kingdom to express its intention to recognize the State of Palestine before the upcoming international peace conference to be held in New York later this month, describing it as a corrective step to historical injustice and an opening to a new horizon towards achieving just and lasting peace in the region. The President emphasized that the current Palestinian priorities are to achieve an immediate and permanent ceasefire, ensure the unconditional delivery of humanitarian assistance to stop genocide, famine, destruction, and displacement, alongside the release of hostages and prisoners, the complete withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, and to commence the implementation of the early recovery and reconstruction plan. He also stressed the necessity of stopping all Israeli violations of international law, halting settlement expansion and settler violence, ensuring the release of withheld Palestinian clearance funds, and stopping assaults on Islamic and Christian holy sites. President Abbas reiterated that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the State of Palestine, which will take full responsibility there with Arab and international support, and that the administrative committee will begin its duties immediately after the war concludes. He emphasized that Hamas has no role in governance and should surrender its weapons to the legitimate Palestinian Authority, while condemning the killing and detention of civilians, including what Hamas did on October 7, as well as the subsequent destructive Israeli war on Gaza. The President also informed his host of the reform efforts undertaken by the State of Palestine in various fields, including the development of educational curricula according to UNESCO standards over the next two years, and the unification of the social protection system in accordance with international standards and U.S. laws. He explained that a new law has been issued and implemented, abolishing the previous system of directed payments to the families of prisoners and martyrs, and that an international company has been contracted for this purpose. He indicated that preparations are underway to organize parliamentary and presidential elections within a year of the end of the war, mentioning that the temporary constitution drafting committee will complete its work within three months, and any party, coalition, or candidate wishing to participate in the elections will be required to adhere to the political program and international commitments of the Palestine Liberation Organization and international legitimacy, based on the principle of "one authority, one law, and one legitimate security force." He affirmed that the Palestinian state we aspire to realize for its freedom and independence will be a peace-loving state, unarmed, based on political pluralism and the peaceful transfer of power. President Abbas reiterated Palestine's steadfast commitment to the option of peace, ending the occupation, and embodying the two-state solution, where an independent State of Palestine is established on the borders of 1967 with its capital in East Jerusalem, living side by side with the State of Israel in security, stability, and good neighborliness, allowing the region to enjoy stability and prosperity.