Address by Mahmoud ABBAS, President of the Palestinian National Authority during the the plenary session of June&nbsp;in Brussels.

Brussels

EU - Palestine (T)

speech

formal sitting

ABBAS, Mahmoud (PS)

peace process in the Middle East (T)

Address by Mahmoud ABBAS, President of the Palestinian National Authority: extracts from the Formal sitting

Arrival of Mahmoud ABBAS, President of the Palestinian Authority and Martin SCHULZ, EP President to the Plenary chamber

SOUNDBITE (German), Martin SCHULZ, EP President, In September 2015 the EP called for a 2 states solution based on the 1967 borders with Jerusalem as the capital of both states. This 2 state solution would mean that Israel can live in safety, I underlined this point yesterday, and would mean that there would be an independent and democratic state of Palestine, one which is free and peaceful, and would allow both states to live side by side.

Cutaway with photographers, President ABBAS takes the floor.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic), Mahmoud ABBAS, President of the Palestinian Authority, Since the Madrid conference and the Oslo agreements, we have made no progress; we are going around in circles in negotiations, which is negotiating for negotiating sake at the moment. And this is being imposed upon us by Israel, they are trying to gain time in this process so that they can change things on the ground, which would make less and less possible for us to find a two states solution. Israel continues to occupy our land.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic), Mahmoud ABBAS, President of the Palestinian Authority, We don&rsquo;t want to wipe any other country off the map. Some people want to wipe our country off the map and this should not be allowed. No country should be allowed to wipe another country off the map. All we want to do is exist and we will not allow anybody to confiscate our rights.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic), Mahmoud ABBAS, President of the Palestinian Authority, We are on the same page as regards terrorism; what is happening in the Middle East is the same as what happens in Europe, in Brussels, Paris, or in the United States. We are against terrorism; let me make this clear, whatever form it may take and whoever carries it out. We are against terrorism.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic), Mahmoud ABBAS, President of the Palestinian Authority, The beginning of the problem of terrorism is the problems which exist in Palestine, and if this is solved terrorism will end.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic), Mahmoud ABBAS, President of the Palestinian Authority, We have to remove religion from this conflict, it&rsquo;s a political struggle and the solution has to be political. Using religious pretext is a genuine threat, is a danger which we all face. Applause.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic), Mahmoud ABBAS, President of the Palestinian Authority, Before I end my speech, let me say that we all have a specific interest today for what is happening in Great Britain. We know it is an important moment and we follow closely the situation.