Abbas: US Veto Against Palestine Full UN Membership is ‘Regrettable, Irresponsible’

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (dpa)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (dpa)
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Abbas: US Veto Against Palestine Full UN Membership is ‘Regrettable, Irresponsible’

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (dpa)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (dpa)

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday termed the US veto at the Security Council against his country’s request for full membership in the UN as “disappointing, regrettable, shameful, irresponsible, and unjustified.”

In an interview with the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, the President said the US veto to block the resolution, which was introduced by Algeria, constitutes a blatant aggression against the rights, history, land, and sanctities of the Palestinian people, challenging the will of the international community.

“While the world agrees on the application of international law and stands by the Palestinian right, America continues to support the occupation, refusing to compel Israel to stop its genocidal war,” Abbas said.

“It provides Israel with weapons and funds,” the President added.

He then accused Washington of abandoning all promises regarding the two-state solution and achieving peace in the region.

“The Palestinian leadership will reconsider bilateral relations with the US to ensure the protection of our people’s interests, our cause, and our rights,” he affirmed.

Abbas warned that the entire region is heading towards further instability in the absence of a just solution to the Palestinian cause, based on Palestinian, Arab and international frameworks.

The US on Thursday vetoed a resolution at the UN Security Council that would have paved the way for the state of Palestine to gain full membership at the United Nations.

The vote in the 15-member Council was 12 in favor and two abstentions – the UK and Switzerland.



Türkiye, Jordan, Syria, Iraq to Discuss Security Cooperation in Amman

Jordanian capital, Amman (Reuters)
Jordanian capital, Amman (Reuters)
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Türkiye, Jordan, Syria, Iraq to Discuss Security Cooperation in Amman

Jordanian capital, Amman (Reuters)
Jordanian capital, Amman (Reuters)

High-level delegations from Türkiye, Jordan, Syria and Iraq will meet in Amman on Sunday to discuss security cooperation and regional developments, a Turkish diplomatic source said on Saturday.

Last month, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that the four countries would take steps toward jointly combating the ISIS group in the region and they aimed to hold a first meeting on the issue in Jordan, Reuters reported.

Foreign ministers will attend the meeting as well as defense ministers or military chiefs, and heads of intelligence organizations of the four countries, the Turkish diplomatic source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said.

The officials will discuss cooperation in the areas of security, combating terrorism and organized crime, as well as regional developments, the source added.

Since the ousting of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December, Western and regional countries have warned of a possible resurgence of ISIS.

Thousands of members of the militant group are being held in prison camps in northeast Syria, guarded by the US-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Türkiye regards the SDF and the YPG militia which spearheads the group as terrorists, and says the prisons must be handed over to Syria's new leadership and the YPG should disarm.