The Communist Party of Israel (CPI) and Hadash released a statement over the weekend, in which they justify the claims of Mahmoud Abbas (Abu-Mazen), President of the Palestinian Authority when, in his speech before the United Nations General Assembly in New York last week, he blamed the Netanyahu government for escalating its crimes related to the occupation and for its systematic effort to crush agreements it reached in the past with the PLO.

Palestinians mourners demonstrate during the funeral of Ahmad Khatatbeh, 26, deaf from birth, who died from his wounds after being shot three times in the shoulder, chest and abdomen by Israeli forces at the Beit Furik military checkpoint in the district of Nablus, the West Bank, last Friday, September 25, 2015 (Photo: Activestills)

The statement went on to say, that there’s indeed no reason to expect the Palestinian side to honor agreements which Israel has unilaterally made meaningless by its unceasing expansion of settlements, its suppression of protests against the occupation, its continued blockade of the Gaza Strip and the prevention of its reconstruction, and its daily harassment of the Palestinian people. Netanyahu closed the door on any serious effort to negotiate a resolution to the conflict by refusing to commit in advance to the borders of the Palestinian state and by refusing to the dismantle settlements.

The statement noted that the hoisting of the Palestinian flag outside of the United Nations in New York is a symbolic step, expressing the support of the majority of the international community for the just claims of the Palestinian people to end the occupation and establish an independent Palestinian state with its capital in East Jerusalem.

The statement concluded by saying that the CPI and Hadash support the granting of full, formal membership of the Palestinian state, after its having previously been granted observer status in the UN, to all international institutions, including the International Criminal Court.