NEW YORK: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday night called on the United Nations to immediately implement Resolution 181 to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and granting Palestine full membership.

In his speech during the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, Abbas said that he had submitted to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres an official Palestinian request regarding the implementation of UN resolutions 181 and 194.

Resolution 181 was issued by the UNGA in 1947 to adopt the plan to end the British mandate over Palestine and divide its lands into three entities, 42% as a Palestinian state and 57% as a Jewish state, with Jerusalem and Bethlehem placed under international trusteeship.

With regard to Resolution 194, “the return, as soon as possible, of Palestinian refugees wishing to return to their homes and live in peace with their neighbours, and that compensation must be paid for the property of those who decide not to return.”

Abbas urged Guterres to start developing an international plan to end the Israeli occupation and to bring peace on the basis of the two-state solution, international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.

He announced the initiation of the application for full membership of Palestine in the United Nations, and the start of procedures for accession to other international organizations.

Abbas indicated that the Palestinian Authority will not accept what remain the only party that abides by agreements with Israel, “which denies the resolutions of international legitimacy and has decided not to be a partner for us in the peace process.”

Abbas called on Britain, the United States and Israel to recognize the “great crime that has befallen the Palestinian people, apologize for it, make reparation for the damage, and provide compensation as determined by international law.”