Solving Palestinian issue key for Mideast peace: Abbas tells UN General Assembly

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Thursday that peace in the Middle East cannot be achieved without securing the rights of Palestinians.

His remarks came in an address to the 78th UN General Assembly session in New York where he warned Israel against turning the political struggle into “religious strife,” in reference to incursions and violations against Islamic and Christian sanctities in Jerusalem.

“Israel is violating the relevant United Nations resolutions, and has renounced the Oslo Accords, and we still have hope for implementing your decisions to end the Israeli occupation of our land,” Abbas said.

Abbas urged UN chief Antonio Guterres to make preparations for an international peace conference for the stalled peace process “because of the Israeli policies.”

The conference “may be the last opportunity to keep the two-state solution possible, and to prevent the situation from deteriorating more seriously," he said.

Abbas demanded “practical steps” to recognize the Palestinian state and have full UN membership.

Tensions have been running high across the West Bank in recent months amid repeated Israeli raids into Palestinian towns.

Peace talks between the Palestinians and Israelis have stalled since April 2014 because of Tel Aviv's refusal to stop settlement building and release Palestinian detainees. They have also

evaded a two-state solution.