RIYADH, March 29, 2007 (WAFA) - President Mahmoud Abbas affirmed on Wednesday that the Palestinian people and leadership renounce violence and counter violence, stressing "We are stretching our hand wide open to the Israeli people and leadership for peace."

In his speech before the Arab Summit in Riyadh, President Abbas said the Palestinian leadership, represented in the PLO, which is the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, is calling for renouncing violence and counter-violence in all its forms because "we have been the first victim of violence."

President Abbas expressed hope that an Arab committee, headed by Saudi Arabia, would emerge from the meeting to follow the implementation of the Arab peace initiative in cooperation with the Quartet and the international parties involved in relaunching the peace process.

He stressed the necessity to exert double efforts to launch a process for a just solution, affirming that procrastination and killing time will never lead to such a settlement, but rather the entire region will be threatened by wars.

President Abbas pointed out that the dream of the Palestinian-Israeli peace can come true if there are true intentions for peacemaking, stressing the truthfulness of the Palestinian people to make peace with the Israelis.

He also expressed hope that the Arab Summit would be able to break the siege imposed on the Palestinian people and open a window for rebuilding the Palestinian institutions for achieving just peace.

Speaking to the Summit about Jerusalem, President Abbas said that the Islamic and Christian holy sites, as well as well as the people and institutions in the city, are threatened by the occupation on daily basis, adding that there attempts to judaize the city and terminate its character as the capital of the Palestinian state, urging the Summit to take steps to save the city.

President Abbas expressed appreciation for the Saudi and the Arab support to their Palestinian people and their national institutions, wishing that this support would continue.

A.D (13:31 P) (11:31 GMT)