Abbas praises UN resolution, support for 2-state solution
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the U.N. resolution on condemning Israeli settlement in occupied Palestinian territory. Abbas stated that the anti-Israel resolution did not mean that the Palestinian case had been resolved, but it opened the door for negotiations.
"The voting in favor of the resolution hasn't resolved the Palestinian cause, but defined it. The resolution stressed the legal basis for a solution and reiterated that Israeli settlement is illegal. The move was an international and a unanimous condemnation of Israeli settlements and a strong support for the two-state solution," Abbas said.
Saeb Erekat, secretary-general of the umbrella Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), described the vote as a "victory for security and peace."
"It is one of the most important resolution adopted by the U.N. Security Council. This is a historic day and a victory for international legitimacy and international law," Erekat said in a Saturday statement.
Erekat said the U.N. resolution was a "clear message to Israel that the policies of settlement building, murder, terrorism and blockade will not achieve peace."
"The only way [to achieve peace] is by the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and solving all outstanding issues," he said.
Palestinian lawmaker Hanan Ashrawi said the U.N. resolution was an "important document" on the path to peace.
"This is an important resolution taken by the U.N. Security Council against Israeli settlement construction," Ashrawi said in a statement. She argued that settlements building amounted to a "war crime" under international law.
"Such a decision should have been taken a long time ago," Ashrawi said.
International law views the West Bank and East Jerusalem as "occupied territories" and considers all Jewish settlement-building activity on the land as illegal.
"We know that such decisions will not deter Israel," Ashrawi said, "however, it shows that the world is not satisfied with the Israeli settlement expansion."
She went on to reiterate the right of the Palestinians to use "all forms of resistance" to end settlement building and halt "aggression of settlers.
Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, welcomed a landmark U.N. Security Council vote demanding a halt to Israeli settlements in occupied territory, with the Palestinian Islamist movement saying it marked an "important evolution."
"Hamas appreciates the position of the countries that voted in the Security Council for the right of the Palestinian people [to live] on their land," said Hamas spokesman Fawzy Barhoum.
"We salute this important evolution in international positions," Barhoum said, while calling for more such actions to bring about "the end of the occupation."
"The voting in favor of the resolution hasn't resolved the Palestinian cause, but defined it. The resolution stressed the legal basis for a solution and reiterated that Israeli settlement is illegal. The move was an international and a unanimous condemnation of Israeli settlements and a strong support for the two-state solution," Abbas said.
Saeb Erekat, secretary-general of the umbrella Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), described the vote as a "victory for security and peace."
"It is one of the most important resolution adopted by the U.N. Security Council. This is a historic day and a victory for international legitimacy and international law," Erekat said in a Saturday statement.
Erekat said the U.N. resolution was a "clear message to Israel that the policies of settlement building, murder, terrorism and blockade will not achieve peace."
"The only way [to achieve peace] is by the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and solving all outstanding issues," he said.
Palestinian lawmaker Hanan Ashrawi said the U.N. resolution was an "important document" on the path to peace.
"This is an important resolution taken by the U.N. Security Council against Israeli settlement construction," Ashrawi said in a statement. She argued that settlements building amounted to a "war crime" under international law.
"Such a decision should have been taken a long time ago," Ashrawi said.
International law views the West Bank and East Jerusalem as "occupied territories" and considers all Jewish settlement-building activity on the land as illegal.
"We know that such decisions will not deter Israel," Ashrawi said, "however, it shows that the world is not satisfied with the Israeli settlement expansion."
She went on to reiterate the right of the Palestinians to use "all forms of resistance" to end settlement building and halt "aggression of settlers.
Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, welcomed a landmark U.N. Security Council vote demanding a halt to Israeli settlements in occupied territory, with the Palestinian Islamist movement saying it marked an "important evolution."
"Hamas appreciates the position of the countries that voted in the Security Council for the right of the Palestinian people [to live] on their land," said Hamas spokesman Fawzy Barhoum.
"We salute this important evolution in international positions," Barhoum said, while calling for more such actions to bring about "the end of the occupation."