
Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas met on Monday in his office in Ramallah with Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marc Garneau.
The official PA news agency Wafa reported that Abbas stressed to his guest the importance of creating a political horizon and hope for the Palestinian people based on a return to a political process that would lead to an end to the "occupation" and the establishment of comprehensive peace in accordance with international institutions.
In this context, Abbas noted the need to expedite the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip following the recent round of fighting and the provision of economic assistance to the Palestinian people.
The PA chairman expressed his appreciation for Canada's positions on the self-determination of the Palestinian people in accordance with international legitimacy decisions, its opposition to the expansion of “settlements” and the "expulsion" of Palestinians from their homes in eastern Jerusalem and its repeated calls to maintain the historic status of religious sites.
He called on Canada and the international community to intervene to stop the Israeli "aggression" that violates international law, and thanked Garneau for the humanitarian aid that Canada is transferring to the Gaza Strip and UNRWA.