MOSCOW

Palestinian Ambassador to Russia Abdel Hafiz Nofal said on Thursday that the primary challenge on the international agenda is persuading the US to cease using its veto against the Palestinian people.

During a news conference in Moscow, Nofal responded to an Anadolu correspondent by pointing out that the US is the only permanent member of the UN Security Council that has not recognized a Palestinian state.

"Now we face one main challenge—getting the US to stop using its veto against the Palestinian people so that the US becomes an objective mediator. This is our main challenge now. The four major powers out of five recognize the state of Palestine, with only the USA remaining to do so," he said.

He emphasized that any efforts leading to the US supporting a political solution would be a significant step forward, adding, "And we will work on this in the near future."

Commenting on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's announcement regarding elections following a ceasefire, the diplomat clarified that there would be no place for a "military Hamas."

However, he noted that if the movement is transformed into a political party within the Palestinian Liberation Organization, the issue can be considered.

"As I have previously stated, this is a very clear position, which is why there was such a reaction from the international community. And President Mahmoud Abbas also mentioned it, reiterating his intentions in his address to the UN," he said.

When asked about opening embassies in countries that recently recognized Palestine, the ambassador confirmed the process is underway.

"The process has been launched, there have already been representative offices, and now the stage of increasing the level of representation is underway," he noted.

Nofal also highlighted the US role in the conflict in Gaza, asserting that Washington has the power to end the war.

He said that if the US had decided to stop the war, "they would have done it long ago."

"And I'll give you an example. When the conflict between Israel and Iran broke out, it lasted only 12 days, and a ceasefire was decided in Washington. Both Iran and Israel were forced to comply with it," he said.

The Israeli army has killed more than 65,400 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The relentless bombardment has rendered the enclave uninhabitable and led to starvation and the spread of diseases.