Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has once again urged the Arab and Muslim world to join forces against what the Palestinian leader termed “the shortcomings of the international community,” when it comes to the Palestinian aspirations for statehood. During a two-day conference that aims to garner international support for the Palestinians’ claim on Jerusalem, the Palestinian leader pointed to the fact that more than 800 resolutions were taken at the United Nations’ General Assembly and Security Council in the favor of the Palestinians, yet none of those decisions have been implemented. Abbas said, “Since 1947, we have achieved 750 decisions by the (U.N.) General Assembly and 86 by the Security Council, but unfortunately, because of the shortcomings of the international community, not one of these decisions has been implemented. And here, the Arab and Muslim world must take a stand and say to this unjust world, to what end after all these decisions?” the Palestinian leader asked.
President Abbas said these statements at a conference that was organized by Egypt’s highest religious authority called ‘Al-Azhar’, a 1,000-year-old seat of Sunni Muslim learning and religious decision making. The conference, which was also attended by Christian and Jewish religious leaders that publicly oppose Israel, came just hours after Washington decided to cut funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees, UNRWA; a move which Arab league Secretary General Ahmed Aboulgheit claimed was linked to Washington’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. He said, “This decision does not come in isolation from the decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. This decision targets Palestinian education and Palestinian health. The day before yesterday, Israel announced more settlements, they are operating according to a plan which the United States of America is involved in and supports. Jerusalem, Refugees, land; we as Arabs must take a stand,” Aboulgheit declared.
The Arab League’s Secretary-General further announced that a conference by Arab Foreign Ministers will take place beginning next month, during which the Arab world will discuss detailed procedures and specific steps that aims to unite them in advancing the Palestinian cause on the international front.