On Fatah Anniversary, Abbas Reasserts Statehood Demands, Insists Gaza Must Return to PA Control

Overview

• Marking 61 years since Fatah’s founding, Mahmoud Abbas issued a formal statement reaffirming core Palestinian demands.
• He said no one will prevent an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital and the return of refugees in line with international decisions.
• Abbas asserted that Gaza will return to national legitimacy under the Palestinian Authority, linking reconstruction to the broader statehood project.
• He emphasized that there will be no state limited to Gaza and no Palestinian state that excludes Gaza.
• In a separate message, Fatah vowed to resist Israeli annexation plans in the West Bank and efforts to expel Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, while Abbas called for unity under the PLO and accused Israel of disregarding international law.