Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met with European Union officials late on Wednesday to discuss ongoing peace efforts surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Abbas reportedly held separate meeting with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, with whom he brought up the latest developments in the occupied Palestinian territory and the French peace initiative which began earlier this month.
“If Israel wanted peace with its Arab neighbors, it must end its control over our people and home country first by withdrawing from our lands and acknowledging the rights of our people, which also has a significant interest for Israel as it would be possible then to apply the Arab Peace Initiative in accordance with the Beirut conference of 2002,” Abbas said in a joint conference following the meetings.
Abbas applauded French and European efforts to boost the peace process, while reiterating Palestinian leadership’s support for an international peace conference pushing for a two-state solution with a specific timeline.
PLO Executive Committee Secretary-General Saeb Erekat, Presidency spokesman Nabil Abu Rdeineh, presidential diplomatic advisor Majdi al-Khaldi, and Palestinian ambassador to Brussels, Abd al-Rahim al-Farra, accompanied Abbas during his visit to Brussels.
