CAIRO, November 5. /TASS/. Palestine is ready to re-take governance of the Gaza Strip as part of a comprehensive political solution to the Middle East conflict, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said during a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
According to the WAFA news agency, Abbas stressed that the Gaza Strip is an inseparable part of the State of Palestine. "We will bear full responsibility as part of a comprehensive political solution both in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and in the Gaza Strip," the agency quoted him as saying.
Abbas stressed that the Palestine Liberation Organization is the only legal representative of the Palestinian people and is responsible for decisions on all matters related to its interests.
He placed entire responsibility for what is going on in the Gaza Strip on the "Israeli occupational authorities," adding that military solutions would bring no security to Israel. He also noted that the developments in the West Bank and Jerusalem as no less appalling and accused the Israeli authorities of "racial discrimination and ethnic purges."
Blinken arrived in Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian president, as part of a visit, which was not on his initial Middle East tour schedule. According to the Al Mayadeen television channel, Blinken left Ramallah immediately after the meeting with Abbas.
The top US diplomat is on a Middle East and Asian tour from November 2 through 10. His plans include visits to Tel Aviv , Amman, Ankara, Tokyo, Seoul, and New Delhi. Later, the Iraqi news portal Baghdad Today said that Blinken would pay an official visit to Baghdad on November 5.