Abbas Warns of Existential Threat to Palestinians at UN General Assembly

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, in a recorded address to the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York, declared that Palestinians are facing one of the most dangerous stages in their history. He asserted that the Palestinian people will not leave their homeland, accept displacement, or allow others to decide their future, reiterating a commitment to peace based on international legitimacy.

Abbas stated that Palestinians will no longer wait for decisions from the Israeli government, emphasizing that lasting security cannot be built on occupying another people and denying them their rights. He outlined a national project focused on protecting the population from displacement, preserving land unity, democratically renewing institutions, and exercising self-determination to establish an independent, sovereign state with East Jerusalem as its capital and the return of refugees according to UN Resolution 194.

He called for an end to the occupation and for self-determination for Palestinians, alongside security and peace for Israelis and regional nations, rather than a new conflict management process. Abbas described the Palestinian vision for peace as a Palestinian people remaining on their land, determining their own future, and a Palestinian state existing alongside Israel, leading to regional integration and prosperity.

Highlighting the dangers, Abbas warned that the current situation threatens the very existence of Palestinians on their homeland, characterizing events in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as part of a malicious colonial plan for forced displacement. He urged world leaders not to allow further massacres like those in 1948 or allow what he termed 'terrorist gangs' protected by occupation forces to harm Palestinians, urging the international community to act to protect the Palestinian people and end the Israeli occupation.

Abbas also called for the swift implementation of the second phase of former US President Donald Trump's plan, stressing that the transition period must lead to the reunification of Gaza and the West Bank under Palestinian authority with one state, one government, one law, and one legitimate weapon. He renewed warnings against the E1 settlement plan and urged the UN Security Council to enforce Resolution 2334, demanding a halt to all settlement activities. He also cautioned against settler attacks on Islamic and Christian holy sites, warning of a potential religious conflict.

Furthermore, Abbas demanded the immediate release of all Palestinian funds held by Israel and the lifting of financial and economic restrictions, citing the Paris Protocol. He stated that Palestine has fulfilled its commitments following the International Peace Conference and the New York Declaration, detailing reforms in governance, social protection, education, and democratic renewal, including preparations for legislative elections. He reiterated the desire for a democratic, non-militarized Palestinian state living in peace alongside Israel.

Addressing the denial of visas for the Palestinian delegation to enter New York for the second consecutive year, Abbas rejected these measures as illegal and punitive, urging the US administration to abandon these restrictions and return to dialogue and mutual respect to implement the two-state solution.