GAZA - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas reiterated on Wednesday his refusal to deal with the US administration as an intermediary between the Palestinians and Israel, stressing that the Palestinians are "continuing with peace" and will not resort to "violence and terrorism."
Abbas called on Arabs, Muslims and Christians to visit Jerusalem in response to Washington, which declared it the capital of Israel, saying that "Jerusalem is the gate of peace or gate of war ... and the American president to choose."
In a speech to the World Azhar Conference on "Support for Jerusalem," Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on Arabs, Muslims and Christians to visit Jerusalem in response to US President Donald H. Trumpby's decision last December to recognize the Holy City as the capital of Israel.
"The arrival of Arabs, Muslims and Christians to Jerusalem is a victory for them and a protection for the sanctities, not normalization with the occupation," Abbas said. "The occupation is happy that no one comes."
With the exception of Egypt and Jordan, which have signed a peace treaty with Israel, the Arab states have no relations with the Jewish state, and therefore their citizens do not visit it.
The Arab states reject any form of normalization with Israel, especially any visits to it. A visit to Jerusalem requires a visa from Israel, which Arabs consider normalized.
"Continuing Peace"
Abbas reiterated his refusal to deal with the Trump administration as a mediator between the Palestinians and Israel, stressing that the Palestinians were "continuing with peace" and would not resort to "violence and terrorism."
"Jerusalem is the gate of peace or the gate of war ... and the American president has to choose."
In his speech, Abbas did not mention Washington's decision Tuesday to "freeze" half of the funds allocated to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in a new challenge to the United Nations and a severe blow to the Palestinians.
For his part, the Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar Ahmed al-Tayeb, a strong speech did not use the word Israel at all, but referred to the Hebrew state as "the Zionist entity."
He said the good that the region is witnessing conflicts may lead to the division of "and the appointment of the Zionist entity as a policeman on the region."
He called for this year to be "the year of Jerusalem". In particular, he called for "a re-awareness of Jerusalem and the Palestinian cause" in Arab countries.
He criticized the Arab curricula and curricula, stressing that "there is no single course devoted to the definition of the issue and shed light on past and present."
