Abu Mazen vows to end 'chaos of arms'
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Newly confirmed Palestinian Prime Minister Abu Mazen addressed Israel in part of a speech Tuesday, saying "We want a durable peace with you through negotiations. ... We reject terrorism by any party and in all its forms."
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RAMALLAH, West Bank (CNN) -- The Palestinian parliament confirmed Mahmoud Abbas, who is popularly known as Abu Mazen, as prime minister Tuesday. The move removes the final obstacle to the unveiling of an international Middle East peace plan.
Before the vote, Abu Mazen said in a speech that he would end the "chaos of arms" by exerting the Palestinian Authority's control over all groups in the Palestinian territories. Here are key excerpts from his speech:
In outlining his priorities, Abu Mazen said he was committed to forming a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, to holding democratic elections, to having a strong judicial system, to ending terrorism and to the "safety and security of the homeland."
Addressing Israel, he said, "We want a durable peace with you through negotiations. ... We reject terrorism by any party and in all its forms."
He said Palestinians would not compromise on key issues, including an end to Israeli settlements and expansion of those settlements in Palestinian territories. "The choice is yours. It's either real peace without settlements or continuing occupation, suppression and hatred and conflict," Abu Mazen said.
"In order for our discourse to be clear, our Palestinian people will not accept anything less than practicing their right to self-determination and establishing their independent sovereign state with Jerusalem as its capital that is free of settlements in all territories occupied in 1967," Abu Mazen said, referring to land Israel held after the Six Day War. "We are on the way to consolidate national unity," he said.
Abu Mazen said his government will pay close attention to the professional qualifications of security police, a signal to militant groups such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad that the Palestinian Authority intends to be in charge. "Only legitimate arms will be used to protect security and public order and the life of people and property," he said.
"Ending the disorder and chaos of arms with the threats that are imposed on the country will be one of our main tasks, and we will not be lenient at all. ... There will be no other positions of power in this country, only one authority and only one law, and one democratic national decision that should be abided by everyone."
Abu Mazen added, "We will not allow any party -- no matter what the justification is -- to infringe on the rights of people to express themselves and to think and ... to practice their political belief, with all the freedom according to the law, but we will not allow anyone to infringe on the human rights, or violate any of the human rights that were guaranteed by the basic law and international covenants."
