Ramallah: The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) Central Council convened on Wednesday in Ramallah to open its 32nd session, with a major item on the agenda being the establishment of a new position: Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee. The PLO establishing a new vice president position within its Executive Committee marks a significant development in Palestinian political leadership, and this is set to be a central topic during the PLO Central Council's meeting.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the two-day session includes discussions on internal affairs, the appointment of a Vice Chairman of the PLO Executive Committee, and the ongoing Israeli aggression against Palestinians. Speaking at the opening session of the meeting of the PLO's Central Council, President Abbas emphasized that the challenges confronting the Palestinian people today are the most severe in recent history.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas warned on Wednesday that the Palestinian people are currently facing grave dangers that resemble a "new Nakba," threatening the very existence of the Palestinian cause and people. He highlighted the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza, where an ongoing war has resulted in over 200,000 casualties between the dead and wounded.
The president also condemned the escalating Israeli occupation's actions in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, including the construction of over 900 military checkpoints, aggressive settlement expansion, and restrictions on access to religious sites. Abbas described these actions as part of "organized terror" designed to eradicate the Palestinian national cause and to impose colonial policies through brutal force.
Outlining a Palestinian vision for a just and comprehensive peace, Abbas reiterated the demand for an end to the Israeli occupation based on international resolutions and the establishment of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, including East Jerusalem as its capital. He affirmed that the Palestinian Authority must assume full responsibility - politically and security-wise - over the West Bank, Gaza, and Jerusalem, under a unified legal and institutional framework.
He added that this means that Hamas must relinquish control over Gaza, hand over all administrative and security responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, and transform into a political party operating within the framework of Palestinian law and international legitimacy. President Abbas stated that this vision, endorsed by the recent emergency Arab-Islamic summit in Cairo based on the joint Egyptian-Palestinian proposal, hinges on several conditions: a clear political horizon that ends the occupation, the Israeli occupation's withdrawal from Gaza, sustainable mechanisms for humanitarian aid and reconstruction, cessation of military operations in the West Bank, and a comprehensive recovery plan that prevents the displacement of Gaza's population.