RAMALLAH - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas affirmed on Thursday that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the State of Palestine and that any transitional arrangements must be temporary and not infringe upon the unity of Palestinian territory.

Speaking at the opening session of the eighth conference of the Palestinian National Liberation Movement (Fatah) at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah, Abbas said the situation in the Gaza Strip necessitates "enabling the State of Palestine to fulfill its role through its sovereign and service institutions."

Regarding the situation in the West Bank, Abbas said that settlement expansion in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, constitutes "a grave violation of international law and requires holding the occupying government accountable and imposing immediate deterrent international measures against it to halt all its unilateral actions."

Abbas also called on the international community to take immediate action to protect East Jerusalem, stop the violation of international law and its historical and legal status, and respect the Hashemite custodianship of the holy sites.

Fatah's eighth conference opened in the West Bank city of Ramallah, with sessions held simultaneously in the Gaza Strip, Cairo and Beirut. The three-day conference is expected to elect the movement's two leadership bodies, the Central Committee and the Revolutionary Council.