Peace in the Middle East Must Start With Palestine: Abbas

The president of the Palestinian National Authority called for justice for the death of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.

On Friday, Palestinian National Authority (PNA) President Mahmud Abas demanded the U.S. President Joe Biden more efforts to end the Israeli occupation and proceed to the creation of a Palestinian state.

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"Peace begins with Palestine and Jerusalem. We extend our hands towards peace and to work with you to achieve it," Abbas stressed, demanding that Washington reopen the U.S. Consulate for Palestinian Affairs in East Jerusalem and calling for justice for the death of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.

"Our meeting was an opportunity to discuss the consolidation of bilateral relations" and "to analyze how the United States can contribute to preparing the climate for a political horizon that gives rise to a just and lasting peace," Abbas emphasized.

"Mr. President, after 74 years of catastrophe, evictions, and occupation, isn't it time to end the occupation?" he asked, adding that Israel "cannot continue to act above the law."

Abbas insisted that the PNA hopes to see efforts by the Biden administration to end "acts of racial discrimination and apartheid" perpetrated by Israel. Abbas also warned that the window of opportunity for the creation of an independent Palestinian state is closing as time passes.

"The opportunities for a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders still exist, but we don't know for how much longer," Abbas told Biden, who stressed his support for that option to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Palestinian leader called on Biden to take concrete steps to stop Israeli settlement construction in the occupied West Bank and ensure respect for holy sites in the Holy Land.