No stable future in Mideast without solving Palestinian issue: Palestine

RAMALLAH, Palestine

The Palestinian Authority (PA) said Sunday that solving the Palestinian cause is the key to ensuring a secure and stable future in the Middle East.

"As long as Jerusalem remains occupied, with its sacred sites, history, and heritage under threat, the wars witnessed today will persist as they have for the past century," PA spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said in a statement.

"The only viable alternative is the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital."

Regional tensions have escalated due to Israel’s brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has killed nearly 41,600 people, mostly women and children, following a Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023.

The conflict spread to Lebanon with Israel launching deadly strikes across the country, which have killed more than 800 people and injured over 2,500 others since Sept. 23.

Several Hezbollah commanders were killed in the Israeli onslaught, including its leader Hassan Nasrallah.

"The ongoing Israeli genocide against the Palestinian people…as well as the destruction of Palestinian cities, villages, and refugee camps, will not bring security or stability but will instead lead to more violence and chaos across the region and beyond,” Abu Rudeineh said.

He held successive US administrations responsible for the current regional turmoil.

“Such actions have emboldened further crimes against the Palestinian people and the people of Syria and Lebanon as well, along with persistent threats to other areas,” he said.

On Sept. 18, 2024, the UN General Assembly approved a resolution calling for Israel to withdraw from the occupied Palestinian territories within 12 months.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi in Ankara