| Monday, November 12, 2001, updated at 08:23(GMT+8) |
Palestinian People Continue to Seek Rights of Self-determination: Arafat |
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President of the Palestinian Authority (PA) Yasser Arafat Sunday called upon the International Community to redouble its sincere efforts to end the current escalating crisis which threatens the Middle East peace process.
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President of the Palestinian Authority (PA) Yasser Arafat Sunday called upon the International Community to redouble its sincere efforts to end the current escalating crisis which threatens the Middle East peace process.
Addressing the general debate of the 56th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Arafat said that the Palestinian people will continue to seek their rights of self-determination and return to their homeland.
He said that the Palestinian people are determined to seek rights that form the backbone of all relevant council and assembly resolutions, as well as the universal declaration of human rights and International Law.
"The U.N. General Assembly issued Resolution 181, which called for the partition of Palestine into two states: One Jewish and the other Palestinian," he said. "But the Palestinian state was not recognized by the U.N., on the contrary the Palestinian people faced a tremendous injustice, the majority were uprooted from their homes and were made refugees."
"The current Israeli Government continues the aggression against the Palestinian people," he said. "State terror is being practiced against the Palestinian people, using the might of
Israeli army."
"It should be noted that the Palestinian economy was devastated, losses reached seven billion dollars, as a result of all forms of economic, financial, medical, food, closures and siege imposed on all Palestinian cities, villages and refugee camps, which continue
to prevent the movement of people and goods, including the movement of students and teachers who are prevented form reaching their schools and universities," Arafat said.
"The International sponsorship of the Middle East peace process is the only guarantee for the efforts being exerted by the International Community to make peace an established reality in our region," he said. "The absence of the International involvement ... will push the region back to the squares of violence, confrontation, bloodshed and make the situation more explosive and fragile."
The Palestinian leader called on the U.N. and the Secretary-General to play their important roles in building a lasting Middle East peace, saying their efforts are indispensable for the establishment of peace in the region.
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