Palestinian Ambassador to Al-Manar Website:
Victory in UNSC Battle Not Guaranteed;
Abbas to Visit Beirut, Raise Palestinian Flag;
Optimistic over Palestinian Rights in Lebanon;
Abbas to Get Support for UNSC Membership;
Whoever Violates Lebanese Law Handed Over;
Camps Less Tense than Many Lebanese Areas

Palestinian Ambassador to Lebanon Abdullah Abdullah said that the upcoming visit of President Mahmud Abbas to Beirut, expected next Tuesday and Wednesday, comes as part of the Palestinian leadership’s efforts to get necessary support for the Palestinian membership within the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

In an exclusive interview with Al-Manar Website, Ambassador Abdullah said that the Palestinian leader would benefit from his visit to raise, alongside Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Miqati, the Palestinian flag on the embassy building.

The Palestinian ambassador denied that the file of Palestinians’ rights in Lebanon has been withdrawn from circulation. He uncovered that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has submitted, in cooperation with the Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue committee and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), a unified paper on the Palestinian refugees’ needs.

Ambassador Abdullah ruled out any possibility that security incidents could erupt in the camps any time soon. He stressed that security breaches remain possible at anytime everywhere, and announced that a Palestinian consensus was reached to hand over any Palestinian who violated the Lebanese law.

On the upcoming UNSC challenge, Ambassador Abdullah said that the Palestinian leadership is doing its best to triumph this challenge through all possible ways, given that Palestine’s membership in the international council was a natural right of the Palestinian people. Yet, he said that no one guarantees victory when engaging into a battle.

ABBAS VISIT’S AGENDA SET

The Palestinian ambassador told Al-Manar website that the agenda of Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas’s visit to Lebanon was already set. He revealed that Abbas would visit Beirut on Tuesday and Wedneday (August 16 and 17), and will be received by Lebanese President Michel Suleiman.

Ambassador Abdullah said that this visit comes as part of the ongoing discussion between the Palestinian leadership and Arab brothers, including President Suleiman, especially that Lebanon would be the UNSC President in the month of September, and that it would represent the Arab Group, without forgetting the important role played by its representative Nawwaf Salam in backing the various Arab causes.

Abdullah said that President Abbas’ visit comes therefore among the Palestinian leadership’s efforts to get necessary support for the Palestinian bid to approach the Security Council in September to seek membership for a Palestinian state. He revealed that Abbas would benefit from his presence in Lebanon to raise, alongside Prime Minister Najib Miqati, the Palestinian flag on the embassy building. He recalled that the Lebanese cabinet has acknowledged the state of Palestine and decided to establish diplomatic relations with it since 2008.

PALESTINIANS RIGHTS NOT WITHDRAWN

The Palestinian ambassador confirmed that President Abbas would also exploit his visit to Beirut to hold series of meetings with Lebanese leaders, as well as the Palestinian factions representing all refugees camps, where he will be discussing with them their situation, circumstances, needs as well as ways of cooperation to reach solutions to their misery.

Answering a question, Ambassador Abdullah denied that the file of Palestinians’ rights in Lebanon has been withdrawn from circulation. He uncovered that a delegation representing the Palestinian factions has met with PM Najib Miqati and submitted a memorandum in this regard, given that earlier, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has submitted, in cooperation with the Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue committee and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), a unified paper on the Palestinian refugees’ needs.

Abdullah said he was optimistic that the Lebanese authorities would cooperate with the Palestinians and reach with them a consensus concerning their human rights.

SECURITY BREACHES HAPPEN EVERYWHERE

On the security situation in the Palestinian camps, Ambassador Abdullah ruled out any possible deterioration. “If we conduct a comprehensive survey on Lebanon, we find that Palestinian camps are less tense than various areas in Lebanon,” he said.

In this context, the Palestinian ambassador pointed to the presence of some sides responsible for the camps’ security. “These sides always cooperate with the Lebanese security apparatus,” he noted, as he highlighted that any Palestinian who violates the Lebanese law would be handed over to the concerned Lebanese authorities to deal with him.

Answering a question, he noted that security breaches happen anytime everywhere. He pointed to the latest security incident that took place in an “absolutely calm area,” in reference to the blast that erupted in Antelias region, north of Beirut. “Let’s be realistic. Attempts to undermine stability are expected. But we’re willing to face them firmly.”

READY FOR UNSC BATTLE

To conclude, the Palestinian ambassador tackled the Palestinian bid to seek, through the Security Council in September, membership for a Palestinian state within the borders that were occupied in the 1967 Six Day War, to include the West Bank, Gaza and occupied Jerusalem.

He said that seeking membership for a Palestinian state in the UNSC was a basic right for the Palestinian people, and that the Palestinian leadership was preparing well for the battle. “Thus, the visits of President Abbas to the world states, even the neutral ones, aims at getting necessary support to achieve success,” he said.

Yet, he noted that victory was not guaranteed. “No one enters a battle, with guaranteed victory,” he said. “However, we should prepare well to reach a positive outcome,” he went on to say.

He stressed finally that Palestinians must unify their ranks without abandoning their rights, alongside pursuing the defense of their cause through all possible means.