Abbas rejects Israel’s legitimacy in any borders: All of Israel is an “occupation”
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas addressing the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva: "Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, haven't you wondered: For how long will this protracted Israeli occupation of our land last? After 67 years (i.e., Israel's creation), how long? Do you think it can last, and that it benefits the Palestinian people?"
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Later on in the speech, Abbas repeated that he considers Israel an "occupation" since its creation. He also demonized Israel:
"[The] holy sites which have been desecrated every other second again and again for seven decades now, under an occupation that does not quit killing, torturing, looting and imprisoning..."
It should be noted that Abbas' first statement that he views Israel as an "occupation" since its creation "67 years" ago - did not appear in the transcript of his speech that the official PA news agency WAFA publicized in both English and Arabic. WAFA publicized Abbas' rejection of the "occupation," but the next sentence specifying "67 years... Do you think it can last?" did not appear in WAFA's transcript.
WAFA quoting Abbas' words:
"Ladies and gentlemen, haven't you wondered; for how long will this protracted Israeli occupation of our land last?" [WAFA (official PA news agency, English), Oct. 28, 2015]
Abbas' actual words:
"Ladies and gentlemen, haven't you wondered; for how long will this protracted Israeli occupation of our land last? After 67 years (i.e., since Israel's creation), until when? Do you think it can last? "
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