Palestinian President Abbas delivered his address to the United Nations General Assembly by video conference after the United States denied him a visa. Abbas said they did not accept the Palestinian delegation being prevented from participating in UN meetings and described the blocking of the delegation’s entry to the UN Headquarters as a violation by the United States of its obligations as the host country.
Abbas said appealing to international law and its institutions was a peaceful and civilized choice and could not be considered contrary to peace. He said the Palestinian people and leadership should not be punished for demanding an end to the occupation.
Call for Gaza and the West Bank
Abbas said the Palestinian people were facing one of the most dangerous periods in their history and argued that killings, destruction, starvation and efforts to forcibly displace people were continuing in Gaza because of Israeli attacks.
Abbas alleged that attacks by Israelis seizing Palestinian land had accelerated under the protection of the Israeli army as illegal settlements expanded in the West Bank. He said Israel’s actions had eliminated the possibility of a two-state solution.
Addressing world leaders, Abbas called for preventing a new Nakba and massacre against the Palestinian people and for stopping settler violence. He called on the US administration to lift sanctions and restrictions and return to dialogue and mutual respect, and urged Washington to work with the international community for a two-state solution based on international legitimacy.
Two-state solution and transitional period
Abbas said a two-state solution would bring peace to everyone and described it as an alternative to the idea of establishing a “Greater Israel” and eliminating the existence of the Palestinian people.
Abbas said they welcomed the peace plan of US President Donald Trump but that no concrete progress in this direction had been seen on the ground. He called on Trump to fulfill his promises to Arab countries to prevent the forced displacement of Palestinians and the annexation of Palestinian territories.
Abbas said the transitional period should result in the unification of Gaza and the West Bank under one state and one legitimate armed force. Warning against the implementation of Israel’s “E1” illegal settlement plan, Abbas argued that the plan would separate the southern West Bank from its central areas.
He said Israel’s attacks on UN buildings in Jerusalem and the West Bank had weakened the ability of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East to carry out its duties.
Release of funds and protection of civilians
Abbas said the Israeli government was forcibly withholding more than $6 billion belonging to the Palestinian people and called for the immediate release of the funds.
Abbas said the Palestinian people would continue to remain on their land and would not accept forced displacement. He said military occupation, the expansion of illegal settlements, annexation and attacks by Israelis seizing Palestinian territory could not create a lasting solution that provided security.
Abbas said they wanted a demilitarized Palestinian state living alongside the State of Israel and expressed their demand for security and peace for everyone. He said they rejected attacks on civilians regardless of who carried them out and opposed antisemitism.
Palestine’s UN membership
Abbas said they wanted Palestinian refugees to return and an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital to be established, reiterating his call for Palestine to be granted full UN membership.
Abbas said one year had passed since the UN adopted Resolution 2803 and the Board of Peace was established, and that only one year remained until the end of the transitional period. For this reason, Abbas called for moving to the second phase of the ceasefire as soon as possible and said the transitional period should result in the unification of Gaza and the West Bank under one state and one legitimate force.
Abbas recalled that they had previously warned in the UN General Assembly that Israel’s violations had destroyed the two-state solution. He said the existence of the Palestinian people had become threatened.
