RAMALLAH: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has called for an immediate end to the ongoing war in Gaza and a global peace conference to work out a permanent political settlement leading to the establishment of a Palestinian state, Western media reported on Friday.
In an interview with Reuters, he said the war between Palestinians and Israel in general had reached an alarming phase that needs a global conference and guarantees by international powers.
The President said Israeli troops have intensified their assaults everywhere in the occupied West Bank over the last year with extremist settlers escalating violence against the people of Palestine.
Mahmoud Abbas Says Gaza War Must End
Mahmoud Abbas reiterated his longstanding stance in favour of talks rather than armed resistance to end the occupation. He was speaking as Israel forces increased their attacks on the Gaza Strip. In two months of war, Israel has killed over 17,000 people mostly women and children and wounded 46,000 and forced the displacement of about 1.9 million Palestinians, over half of them now staying in areas in central Gaza.
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Abbas added that based on a binding global agreement, he would revive the weakened Palestinian Authority (PA), execute long-awaited reforms and hold presidential and parliamentary polls, which were suspended following Hamas won in 2006.
