Roundup: Abbas says who wants two states must stop creating facts on the ground

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Tuesday that those who are seeking two states and making peace must stop creating facts on the ground that makes reaching a solution impossible.

Abbas made the remarks in a joint news conference with the United Nations Secretary General Ban ki-Moon after a meeting held in Ramallah on Tuesday evening.

Ban had earlier on Tuesday morning visited in the Gaza Strip that is ruled by the Islamic Hamas movement.

"Creating facts on the ground would mount the conflict, increase range of losing hope, grow up frustration among the Palestinians and give an excuse for those who call for fanaticism and terrorism in our region and in the world," said Abbas.

He stressed that the Palestinians look for ending decades of injustice and practicing their right of self-determination by implementing the international resolutions based on the principle for the Arab peace initiative without renovation.

Abbas clarified to the UN Secretary General that "our hands are extended to peace based on the two-state solution on 1967 borders."

"But the problem is the continuing occupation and the Israeli settlements which are totally contradicting with peace," said Abbas, who stressed the importance of the French initiative as well as the Arab and European efforts.

He went on saying all the efforts aim at holding an international conference for peace in the Middle East before the end of this year.

Last peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians stopped in April 2014 following deep differences between the two sides on issues related to settlement, security and borders.

Meanwhile, Abbas appreciated Ban's efforts for preparing a legal study to ensure an international protection for the Palestinian people.

"As a non-member observer state in the UN and a member in many UN agencies and treaties, we are determined to carry on with our efforts to join all the international treaties and agencies," said Abbas.

Ban said that the expansion of settlements "is illegal," adding the ceaseless actions of violence, terrorism and incitement contradict with the progress in the negotiations based on the two-state solution.

He called on the Palestinian leadership to act seriously mainly on incitement, and the two sides to act in order to prepare the atmosphere for the resumption of meaningful negotiations.

"The two-state solution is the only choice when it is implemented, and peace can be achieved in the entire region," said Ban, who also called for speeding up the construction plan in the Gaza Strip.

He went on saying that everlasting stability in Gaza can be achieved through out unity between Gaza and the West Bank under one authority and also through out the complete lifting of the Israeli blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip.

Earlier on Tuesday, Ban visited several houses in Gaza, called for ending the Israeli blockade since 2007 and described it as "collective punishment."

He pointed that the electricity shortage in Gaza hit 70 percent, as nearly half of its youth are unemployed, highlighting that the situation cannot stay as such because it yields anger and frustration, which may lead to an escalation of hostile acts.

The UN Secretary General said "we must speak openly about the unacceptable hardships faced by the people of Gaza in light of the humiliation, occupation and siege, as well as the division between Gaza Strip and the West Bank."

He called on uniting the West Bank and Gaza under a democratically elected government based upon the political program of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

Ban also thanked donors for their efforts in the reconstruction of Gaza, noting that 90 percent of the schools and hospitals were reconstructed.

He stressed reconstructing life quality in Gaza, the treatment of those who suffered from the war and creating job opportunities in order to retain peace.

The UN will continue to work for a future without occupation and injustice, and for the establishment of a Palestinian state to live side by side with the state of Israel, Ban added. Endit