Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday laid out his most specific demands for the borders of a future independent state, calling for a full Israeli withdrawal from all territories occupied in the 1967 war.
In a television interview, Abbas said the Palestinians want to establish a state on 6,205 square kilometers of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. It was the first time he has given a precise number for the amount of land he is seeking.
"We have 6,205 square kilometers in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip," Abbas told Palestine TV. "We want it as it is."
Abbas said his claim is backed by U.N. resolutions. "This is our vision for the Palestinian independent state with full sovereignty on its borders, water and resources."
Abbas said the joint statement at next month's U.S. sponsored peace conference must deal with the main hurdles preventing a final peace agreement. "The international conference must include the six major issues that are Jerusalem, refugees, borders, settlements, water and security," Abbas said.
