Palestine to take measures to confront Israeli escalation: Prez Abbas

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said the Palestinian leadership would take measures to confront the Israeli escalation against the Palestinians.

Abbas made the remarks on Tuesday during a meeting with visiting Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi in the West Bank city of Ramallah, according to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA.

In light of the international community's "inability to compel Israel to abide by international law and international resolutions," the Palestinian leadership is in the process of taking action to confront this Israeli escalation, said the WAFA report.

The President didn't give the details of the measures or the date for implementing them, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Israel's criminal actions and racial discrimination are carried out amid US silence on these provocations and practices that flagrantly violate international law," said Abbas.

He accused the Israeli government of not abiding by the peace agreements signed with the Palestinians, international law, and UN resolutions, adding that the Israeli authorities carry on with their unilateral actions, mainly in East Jerusalem.

The Palestinian President referred to the daily visits of "extremist Israelis" to the flashpoint holy site of Al-Aqsa mosque compound in East Jerusalem.

On Sunday, around 40,000 members and activists of the Israeli far-right-wing groups joined the annual flag march that passed Damascus Gate and the Islamic quarter in the city, sparking tensions in Jerusalem and the West Bank.

For his part, Safadi expressed to Abbas that Jordan stands by the side of the Palestinian people and their just Palestinian cause.

He pointed out that the Palestinian and Jordanian sides will continue contact and consultations with the international community and concerned countries.

--IANS

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