RAMALLAH, December 31, 2025 (WAFA) — President Mahmoud Abbas said that the outbreak of the contemporary Palestinian revolution marked a historic and transformative moment in the course of the national cause, reshaping the Palestinian national identity after the Nakba of 1948 and placing the Palestinian cause at the forefront of the international political agenda.

In a statement marking the 61st anniversary of the launch of the Palestinian revolution and the founding of the Fatah movement, the President affirmed that the establishment of an independent, fully sovereign Palestinian state on Palestinian land, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and the return of refugees in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative, is an inevitable reality embodied by the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and cannot be prevented by any force.

He said that this anniversary carries profound historical meaning, reflecting the suffering and sacrifices of the Palestinian people and their founding leaders, foremost among them the late leader Yasser Arafat, along with all martyrs, prisoners, and wounded who have given their lives for the freedom and independence of their people.

President Abbas stressed that the anniversary also renews hope and determination to continue the national struggle until the realization of the Palestinian national project, the restoration of the people’s historic rights, and the end of the last occupation in the world.

He noted that the anniversary comes at a time when Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including Jerusalem, are facing one of the most severe wars of genocide and ethnic cleansing in modern history, carried out by the Israeli occupation in disregard of international law and ceasefire agreements. 

He emphasized that the Palestinian people will not submit to the goals of this war, will not leave their homeland, and will confront plans of annexation and displacement through steadfastness and rootedness in their land.

The President called on Palestinians to unite during this critical phase by safeguarding national achievements attained through struggle and sacrifice, and by prioritizing supreme national interests under the umbrella of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, and its political program and international commitments.

He affirmed that history has proven that any attempts to undermine the unity and legitimacy of the PLO are doomed to fail, stressing that there can be no Palestinian state in Gaza alone, and no Palestinian state without Gaza. He added that the Palestinian people will thwart all projects aimed at undermining their political, geographic, and national unity.

President Abbas also reaffirmed the continuation of comprehensive political and administrative reform plans aimed at strengthening national institutions as a foundation for the independent state, enhancing their effectiveness and sustainability, and reinforcing the resilience of the Palestinian people.

He concluded by saluting the steadfast Palestinian people at home and in the diaspora, especially in Gaza, stressing that Gaza will return to the embrace of national legitimacy, its wounds will be healed, and it will be rebuilt to remain a pillar of the national project. 

He extended New Year greetings to the Palestinian people, expressing hope that the coming year will bring peace, stability, freedom, independence, and the establishment of the Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.

M.N