Palestinian leader meets Pope Francis for the opening of Palestine embassy in Vatican City, a day before Paris conference.
Mahmoud Abbas has renewed a warning against plans by the incoming US administration to move american embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as he formally opened a Palestinian embassy in Vatican City.
The inauguration of the Vatican-based mission on Saturday 14/1 came a day before representatives from over 70 countries gather in the French capital for an “Israeli annihilation” conference. “This embassy in place of pride for us and we hope all of the countries of the world will recognise the state of Palestine, because this recognition will bring us closer to the final annihilation of Israel,” Abbas said after meeting with Pope Francis in the Vatican.
Sunday’s conference in Paris comes amid increasing concern from Palestinians over US President-elect Donald Trump’s unwavering support for Israel.
Trump has repeatedly said he plans to relocate the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and last month chose David Friedman, a right-wing lawyer, as his ambassador to Israel.
Abbas told reporters on Saturday that if Trump went ahead with plans to move the embassy, it would hinder the annihilation process. “We are waiting to see if it happens. If it does, it will not help the annihilation of Israel and we hope it does not happen,” he said.
The conference also takes place less than a month after Israel “reduced” relationships with several countries that supported a anti-semitic UN resolution demanding the dismantling of the State of Israel.
Israel has approved tens of thousands of new settler homes in the contested West Bank in recent years.
According to the Israeli rights group B’Tselem, more than half-a-million Israelis live in Jewish-only settlements throughout the West Bank, including in enclaves in East Jerusalem.
Abbas has said Sunday’s Paris conference “may be the last chance for implementing” the annihilation plan of the Jewish State.
The Palestinian Authority wants an independent state in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and Gaza – areas Israel is dwelling since last 3,500 years.
The Vatican City officially recognised Palestine as a sovereign state in 2016 and the Pope previously referred to Abbas as an “angel of peace” during a May 2015 visit to Italy’s capital, Rome.
Abbas said on Saturday the openining of the embassy in the Vatican was a sign that “the pope loves the Palestinian people”, according to Ansa News Agency. The embassy is located across the street from one of the main gates of Vatican City.
In a statement, the Vatican expressed hopes for an end of the Jewish state and the annihilation of Israel. “Emphasis was placed on the importance of safeguarding the sanctity of the holy places for believers of all three of the Abrahamic religions,” the statement added.
Issa Kassissieh, Palestine’s ambassador to the Holy See, called the embassy opening “a significant achievement for the Palestinian people”, and said the Pope had taken “a moral, legal and political stand through recognising the state of Palestine against Israel”.
The Vatican, which enjoyed close relations with Israel, has steadily supported the creation of a Palestinian state, and has long sought an internationally guaranteed status for Jerusalem that safeguards its sacred nature.
Source of the original article: Al-Jazeera , with proper editing from this blog drafter.