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Abbas Calls for Special Palestinian Protection Force


Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the special meeting of Human Rights Council at the United Nations European headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, Oct. 28, 2015.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the special meeting of Human Rights Council at the United Nations European headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, Oct. 28, 2015.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is urging the international community to set up a "special regime" to protect his people, amid a wave of deadly Israeli-Palestinian violence.

In an address before the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva Wednesday, Abbas called for strong and decisive action by the United Nations and its member states, mainly the U.N. Security Council.

He accused Israel of carrying out extrajudicial killings of Palestinian civilians and warned that this may be the last chance for a two-state solution.

"We can no longer bear all those sanctions, all those attacks by the settlers and Israeli army," Abbas said. "We want protection, and we look to you to protect us."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Abbas of inciting tensions and spreading lies about Israel and its policies. The Israeli leader has said such incitement leads to terror.

The latest round of Israeli-Palestinian violence erupted last month, with Palestinians carrying out a wave of stabbings and shootings of Israeli civilians and soldiers, and Israelis defending themselves and committing retaliatory acts.

In clashes that began at a key Jerusalem holy site, 10 Israelis have been killed and more than 50 Palestinians shot dead by Israeli security forces, including 30 identified by Israel as attackers.

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