Ramallah: Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, said on Thursday, that the Palestinian Authority would never sign a peace treaty with the Israelis until all Palestinian prisoners are released from the Israeli jails.

President Abbas was speaking at a major ceremony, attended by thousands of Palestinians and organised by the Palestinian Authority, to mark the 6th anniversary of the late Yasser Arafat in Ramallah.

“The Palestinian stand is fixed and unchanging and the future Palestinian state will be with no Israeli colonies, with Jerusalem as its capital and the right to return to that state will be secured and uncompromised,” said President Abbas.

“I challenge the Palestinians, have given any concessions of the Palestinian basics since the year 1988,” he added, emphasising the importance of freedom for the Palestinians.

“The Palestinians will never accept any option, but to be free with their national decisions. We strongly believe in the public non-violent resistance. This is our right as long as there were colonists and colony activities with the continuation of the construction of the Wall on our soil.

“We strongly go with the international legitimacy and will never divert from that legitimacy,” he said, adding that the classification of states, into moderate or resistant, is a new phenomenon.

“The formula of two states, for two peoples, in Palestine, should not remain as a slogan, but should be implemented on the ground to have a meaning,” he said. “The Palestinian Liberation Organisation is the sole owner of the independent Palestinian national decision.”

Addressing the Israeli public, he said, “Making peace is far important than any other thing in life. We strongly seek the rights of the Palestinian refugees and will never recognise Israel as a Jewish state”.

“The Palestinians will never fulfill this Israeli dream,” he added.

“The Arab initiative is a golden chance for making peace and that initiative is still there on the table,” he continued.

“Peace is the basis for calm in the entire region. We have provided our version of the solutions for all the core issues with the Israelis.

“The US Administration is pressing the Palestinians not to approach the Security Council in unilateral measure to get the whole world to recognise a Palestinian state. However, the US Administration does not practice the same pressure on the Israelis who are going on with their colony activities on the Palestinian soil,” he said.

Commenting on Palestinian reconciliation, President Abbas said: “Hamas should return to its mind. We have a clear vision that is strongly supported by the international community, which have recognised our cause and started effective dealing with that cause”.

He added that the Palestinian Authority is working hard to reach an agreement over Damascus with Hamas, but Hamas should do its part and overcome any obstacles in the way of peace.