BETHLEHEM, June 2, 2010 (WAFA)- President Mahmoud Abbas granted, today, the Palestinian nationality to all participants of the Freedom Flotilla, saying that it was not the first and will not be the last of its kind.

In a speech pronounced before the Investment Conference in Bethlehem, the president said: “Our people we subjected, in the last few days, to a state terrorism act, when Israel attacked the Flotilla of Freedom. Our people and the whole world is facing this act of terrorism and refusing its continuation. Jerusalem is under siege, Gaza is under siege, Hebron is torn apart, Bethlehem is isolated and our lands are occupied.”

“We ask the world: until when will this go on? We have the right, today, to ask the big question: When will this tyranny and occupation end? When will Israel respect the laws of international legitimacy, so bloodshed ends and true peace prevails?” he stated.

We demand a real international protection. This is the responsibility of the international Security Council, and all international institutions, including the Quartet, he said, a unified Arab and international stance is required to lift the siege off Gaza, and an international investigation committee formed by the UN secretary General, whose results would be submitted to the Security Council to make a clear obligating resolution that would protect our people and its rights, and lift the siege.

He added that “We will not accept that the peace process be a means of evading peace and its dues. The first step toward peace is a complete halt of settlement activities, without conditions, and lifting the siege off Gaza and Jerusalem, and all our cities and villages, as well as committing to the references of peace.”

I wish that the Palestinian response the massacre be the unification of the people and national reconciliation; this response is more effective that all sorts of denunciation and condemnation, he continued on saying that we are all hopeful that this Investment conference would give a strong push to the Palestinian economy, and add it to the remarkable growth in the last three years, which has reached 8% in 2009.

This growth is the result of good governance policies adopted by the PA; working on the rule of law and guarding public security, he elaborate, our Palestinian market is therefore abundant with investment opportunities, and varied economic opportunities, entirely unexploited. Let us discover them, and contribute, together, in the establishment of a modern viable Palestinian state, yet preserving its historical and cultural heritage.

I, hereby, affirm that the infrastructure of a strong Palestinian economy cannot be complete without the unity of the Palestinian Territory, and without an integration of our efforts, continued to bring back our unity, he affirmed saying: “I hereby, invite you, dear guests to be an important part of our steadfastness, of our liberation of our land’s occupation, and of our national economy’s development. “

Let us work together, to build facts on this ground, to contribute to enforcing our people’s existence on this land, through investments, programs and projects that guarantee economic benefit for you and for us, he concluded by saying, Palestine opens its arms wide for you, and welcomes you hopeful of your participation in establishing a strong Palestinian economy.”