Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that he has recognized the State of Israel and its right to exist for 40 years, and asks Israel to recognize a Palestinian state and its right to exist as well. In a conference held with French President Emmanuel Macron, who visited him in Ramallah from Israel after a major solidarity visit following the attack launched by Hamas on the 7th of this month, Abbas demanded a complete ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the opening of permanent corridors. For humanitarian relief to introduce medical supplies and food, and provide water, electricity, fuel and other basic needs.

Abbas called on France to use its influence in the Security Council to immediately stop this aggression, provide urgent international protection for the Palestinians in Gaza, hold an international peace conference, and move to a political solution instead of military and security solutions, by implementing the two-state solution in accordance with international legitimacy.

Abbas accused Israel of choosing a destructive military machine instead of peace. He asked: “Who in this world would accept the annihilation of entire families, the bombing of hospitals, and the cutting off of water to an entire people?” Abbas held Israel and the countries of the world that encouraged it to continue deepening its aggressive practices responsible for what turned out. Abbas renewed his refusal to displace Palestinians from their homes and land outside Palestine, whether from Gaza, the West Bank, or Jerusalem, stressing: “We will not accept more military or security solutions, which have brought us to where we are today, which may lead the region to a regional and global war.”

Abbas said: “The Gaza Strip is part of the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, and we reject any partial or security solutions for the Strip, and we adhere to the comprehensive political solution.” Abbas stressed the commitment of the Palestinian side, “represented by the State of Palestine and the Palestine Liberation Organization, to international legitimacy and signed agreements, policies of non-violence and peaceful popular resistance, and following political and legal methods to achieve our people’s national goals.” He added: “We also condemn the killing of civilians on both sides, and call for the release of civilians, prisoners and detainees on both sides.”

But Macron focused on an international coalition against Hamas. Macron, while standing next to Abbas, said: “Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people, and we think about the suffering of civilians in Gaza, and there is no justification for this suffering.”

Macron stressed that “civilian lives have the same value, regardless of nationality.” Macron described Hamas as terrorist, and told Abbas that there must be a security and peace initiative based on combating all terrorist groups, including Hamas. Macron arrived in Ramallah, at a time when Palestinians in Ramallah demonstrated against receiving him, as he was completely biased towards Israel. Macron pledged to support the Palestinians financially in the West Bank, and to accelerate the sending of aid to the Gaza Strip, on the basis that civilians should not be harmed.