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Palestinians celebrate Abbas' return following UN speech

Xinhua, October 3, 2015 Adjust font size:

Hundreds of Palestinians turned out to the presidential headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Friday to welcome the return of President Mahmoud Abbas, following his speech at the United Nations.

People waved their flags and chanted slogans in favor of Abbas, whose speech at the UN's General Assembly (UNGA) was described as "historic" by some Palestinian officials.

Following his speech, Abbas hoisted the Palestinian flag at the UN headquarters for the first time, with participation of Arab and international leaders.

Abbas told the crowds in Ramallah that he stands behind every word he said on the UN stage, in reference to his threat to stop abiding by the signed agreements with Israel.

"What we said there, we say here and abide by it. We abide by everything we said in order to implement it here," Abbas said.

On Wednesday, the president announced in his speech to the UNGA that the Palestinians can't continue to abide by the agreements signed with Israel when Israel doesn't abide by them, adding that Israel should assume its responsibilities as an occupying power.

Abbas said that as long as Israel is not committed to the implementation of the signed peace agreements and keep breaching them, which render the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) into an authority without real powers, the Palestinians won't be committed to it anymore.

"We declare that we can't continue to be bound by these agreements and that Israel must assume all of its responsibilities as an occupying power, because the status quo cannot continue and the decisions of the Palestinian (Liberation Organization) Central Council last March are specific and binding," he said.

Regarding the flag hoisting at the UN, Abbas said that the move is not only symbolic. "It's a title of glory, dignity, history, present and future."

"When we (are) raising the flag at the UN garden, I remembered the martyred children, who died raising their flag in different parts of the country. We dedicate this flag to the souls of all the martyrs as well as the 6,000 detainees in Israelis jails," he said.

On Sept. 10, the UN voted in favor of a bid to raise the Palestinian flag at the UN headquarters and agencies all over the world.

On Nov. 29, 2012, the UN General Assembly voted in favor of upgrading the Palestinian representation in the UN to a non-member observer state status. Endit