Abbas at Fatah's Eighth Conference: We Adhere to the Single Legitimate Weapon and Reject the Liquidation of the Cause

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas today, Thursday, opened the Eighth General Conference of the Fatah National Liberation Movement in Ramallah, amidst a wide leadership and diplomatic presence. In his opening speech, Abbas affirmed that the Palestinian people are facing unprecedented existential dangers at this stage, especially in light of the ongoing war of extermination targeting the Palestinian presence in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.\n\nThe Palestinian President stressed the categorical rejection of all forced displacement projects or attempts to liquidate the Palestinian cause, considering what is happening in the Gaza Strip to be a humanitarian catastrophe unprecedented in modern history. He pointed out that the extent of the destruction affected more than 85% of vital facilities and camps, reflecting the occupation's desire to turn the Strip into an uninhabitable place.\n\nIn the context of his discussion of human losses, Abbas explained that the number of victims, martyrs and injured, exceeded 272,000, emphasizing that the vast majority of them are children, women, and the elderly. He drew attention to the atrocity of the crimes committed by completely erasing more than 2,500 Palestinian families from the civil registry, describing these actions as a clear embodiment of the crime of genocide.\n\nAbbas touched upon the events of October 7, noting that matters should be measured by their outcomes and results on the ground, regardless of initial assessments. He added that the Palestinian people paid a heavy price in blood and resources as a result of those events, as they were subjected to systematic slaughter and displacement and the complete destruction of their country's infrastructure.\n\nOn the internal political front, Abbas affirmed that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the Palestinian state, stressing the rejection of any transitional or security arrangements that affect the unity of the land and the political system. He called for adherence to the Palestine Liberation Organization as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people in all their places of presence, warning against any attempts to create alternatives to it.\n\nThe Palestinian President reiterated his adherence to the principle of 'the single legitimate weapon,' emphasizing that a state cannot exist with multiple armed authorities outside the framework of the law. He said that true national unity must be based on peaceful popular resistance and adherence to international legitimacy, considering that the existence of weapons outside the state's control threatens the entity of the Palestinian political system.\n\nRegarding the financial crisis, Abbas accused the Israeli government of practicing 'financial piracy' by withholding more than 5 billion dollars of Palestinian tax revenues. He explained that this policy caused a suffocating crisis that led to the Authority's inability to fulfill its full financial obligations towards public employees, which increases the suffering of citizens under the current circumstances.\n\nThe speech also addressed settlement expansion in the West Bank and Jerusalem, where Abbas pointed to the existence of hundreds of settlements and outposts that plunder Palestinian land daily. He warned against persistent Israeli efforts to change the historical and legal status of holy sites, especially continuous attempts to impose temporal and spatial division in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.\n\nDespite widespread criticism, Abbas affirmed the Palestinian Authority's continued adherence to the Oslo Accords and agreements signed with the Israeli side, calling on the international community to pressure Israel to abide by them. He sarcastically referred to internal criticism of the agreement, emphasizing that preserving it represents a national necessity in the absence of effective international alternatives currently.\n\n The Palestinian President revealed understandings with the Lebanese presidency to hand over the weapons of PLO factions inside the camps in Lebanon to the official authorities there. Abbas described these weapons as no longer weapons of resistance but rather tools for internal killing, affirming the Authority's endeavor to improve the conditions of Palestinian refugees and protect their property in diaspora countries.\n\nIn the internal reform file, Abbas stressed that the Authority continues to implement comprehensive plans to develop the judiciary, administration, education, and combat corruption with utmost seriousness. He challenged skeptics by demanding that they provide any proven corruption files to be immediately referred for investigation, affirming that there is no cover-up for anyone who violates the law, regardless of their position.\n\nAbbas announced the Authority's intention to hold elections for the Palestinian National Council next November, as a first step towards renewing national legitimacies. He affirmed commitment to the democratic path and preparation for general and presidential elections as soon as suitable conditions are available that ensure the participation of all Palestinians, including the residents of occupied Jerusalem.\n\nAbbas sent a message to Israeli society, stating that continuing policies of extremism and settlement will not bring security or peace to any party in the region. He affirmed that the Palestinian peace option is still viable, but it requires the implementation of the two-state solution and recognition of legitimate national rights in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions and international law.\n\nThe President concluded his speech by saluting the steadfastness of Palestinians in all their places of presence, appreciating supportive Arab stances, and specifically mentioning Egypt and Jordan for their role in thwarting displacement schemes. He stressed that the Palestinian people will remain rooted in their land and will not repeat the tragedies of the past, emphasizing that victory will ultimately be the ally of those with rights.\n\n"Everyone having a weapon is not a state; we adhere to one system, one law, and one legitimate weapon.