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Abbas: We don't want escalation with Israel

Xinhua, October 7, 2015 Adjust font size:

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Tuesday that he does not want any military or security escalation with Israel, demanding the latter to stop escalation of violence.

"We didn't start or initiate (violence) and Israeli needs to stop and accept the hand extended (to them). We want to reach a political solution by peaceful means, and not any other way," Abbas said as he presided a meeting of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

"We do not want escalation, but we want to protect ourselves," Abbas warned the consequences would be dangerous if the escalation continues.

He accused the Israeli government of flaring the tension by "launching an intense attack on the Palestinian people everywhere," adding that Israel is not only attacking but also killing Palestinians.

Abbas said that the Israeli government and its policies are increasing their "isolation," referring to the latest resolution at the UN's General Assembly to hoist the Palestinian flag at the UN's headquarters, which was passed by an overwhelming majority of votes.

"We tell them (Israelis): stop settlement (building) and release the 30 detainees you agreed with the U.S. Secretary General John Kerry to free, and we are ready to return to negotiations," Abbas said.

Abbas added that Palestinians can't be the only party abiding by the signed agreements. "If Israel doesn't want these agreements, then we don't want to implement them."

Tension flared up between the Palestinians and Israel in mid-September when Palestinians strongly protested allowing Jewish groups to enter al-Aqsa compound in east Jerusalem during the Jewish holidays.

The escalation expanded to other areas after an Israeli couple were killed in a shooting near the northern West Bank city of Nablus, and two others were stabbed in east Jerusalem in the past few days.

In return, Israeli army killed four Palestinians, saying that two of them were accused of conducting two separate stabbing attacks. The rest two, including a 13-year-old boy, were killed during the continuous clashes in West Bank that left more than 500 others wounded. Endit