Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday called for Israel to return to the negotiating table during a speech marking the anniversary of the 58th Nakba (catastrophe) of Israel's establishment.
Abbas also urged Palestinian fighters in the Gaza Strip to halt rocket attacks on Israel. He said the firing encourages Israel to step up its military activity.
”Let’s stop the pretext that there’s no Palestinian partner,” he said in a speech. “The partner exists, and we extend our hand to you to make peace.” "I tell our neighbors, the Israelis, that we want to make a just and lasting peace with you, and we want a better future for our children and yours. So come to make this year a year of peace," he said in remarks aired Monday on Palestinian television and radio.
At 1 p.m., a mourning siren was heard throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip to mark the Nakba.
