Abbas Accuses Israel of 'Genocidal War' at UN, Denounces US Visa Ban

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the UN General Assembly via video link on Thursday, after the United States denied him a visa to attend the New York meeting. Abbas condemned "illegal punitive measures" and rejected Washington's justifications for the visa denial, asserting the PA has upheld its obligations, pursued reforms, and remains committed to international law while rejecting violence and terrorism. He defended the PA's recourse to international bodies like the ICJ and ICC as a "peaceful and civilized" choice.

Turning his focus to Israel, Abbas accused the Israeli government of waging a "genocidal war" in Gaza and attempting to forcibly displace Palestinians. He specifically denounced the expansion of settlements, house demolitions, checkpoints, and Israeli military operations in the West Bank, which he termed "settler terrorism." Abbas stated that the danger now extends beyond undermining the two-state solution to threatening the very existence of the Palestinian people on their land.

Furthermore, Abbas accused Israel of isolating and "Judaizing" Jerusalem and making Palestinian life unbearable to encourage emigration. Notably, he did not mention Hamas in his address, despite previously condemning the October 7th attacks. Abbas concluded by urging the United States to lift sanctions on the Palestinian Authority and resume dialogue with Ramallah.