Mahmoud Abbas gives Israel one year to end occupation of Palestine
September 25, 2021, 3:33 am

Mahmoud Abbas

The Xinhua reported, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday gave Israel one year to end its occupation of Palestinian territory.

He told the General Assembly in a fiery speech: "Israel, the occupying power, has one year to withdraw from the Palestinian territory it occupied in 1967, including East Jerusalem."

He said: "We are ready to work throughout this year on the delineation of borders and solving all final-status issues under the auspices of the international Quartet and in accordance with UN resolutions".

The Xinhua mentioned, Abbas threatened to withdraw recognition of the State of Israel.

He asked: "If this is not achieved, why maintain recognition of Israel based on the 1967 borders? Why maintain this recognition?"

Moreover, in this regard, Palestine will go to the International Court of Justice on the issue of the legality of the occupation of the land of the Palestinian state and the relevant obligations for the United Nations and states around the world in this regard, and all will have to respect the conclusions of the court, he said.

Abbas said in a pre-recorded speech: "Colonialism and apartheid are prohibited under international law and they are crimes that must be confronted and a regime that needs to be dismantled."

The international community's support for this initiative, consistent with international law and UN resolutions, may save the region from an unknown fate, he said. "We all have a chance to live in peace and security, good neighborly relations, each in our state. And delaying implementation of these steps will keep the region in a situation of turmoil and instability with dire consequences."

He asked, "Do the leaders of Israel dream of maintaining their occupation forever? Do they want this occupation to last forever? Why should a Palestinian continue living either under Israel's racist occupation or as a refugee in neighboring countries? Are there no other alternatives -- freedom, for example?"

He said, Palestinians are creative and dynamic and the entire world can testify to that. Palestinians deserve to live free in their homeland.

"From this podium (of the UN General Assembly), I call on the sons and daughters of Palestine everywhere around the world to continue pursuit of their peaceful and popular struggle that has shown the true image of the valiant Palestinian people striving for freedom and independence by resisting occupation and apartheid."

Abbas thanked the international community for the political and material support to Palestinians and for building Palestinian institutions and national economy.

Abbas said: "I say to Israel's leaders: do not oppress and corner the Palestinian people and deprive them of dignity and their right to their land and state as you will destroy everything. Our patience and the patience of our people have limits. I reiterate yet again that the Palestinian people will defend their existence and identity and will not kneel or surrender, they will not leave and will remain on their land, defending it, defending their fate and pursuing their great journey toward ending the occupation."

He said: "We say once more: this is our land, our Jerusalem, our Palestinian identity, and we shall defend it until the occupier leaves, as the future belongs to us and you cannot claim peace and security for yourselves alone. Let us be."

Source: xinhua

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.