Palestinian President Abbas Addresses UNGA Remotely Amid US Visa Denial

Palestinian Plight and Israeli Actions

• 🇵🇸 President Abbas addressed the UN General Assembly remotely after being denied a US visa, highlighting a "war of genocide, destruction, starvation, and displacement" in Gaza by Israeli occupation forces.
• 💔 Over 220,000 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, have been killed or injured, with hundreds of thousands displaced and essential supplies blocked, leading to widespread starvation and destruction of infrastructure.
• 🏗️ The Israeli government is accused of illegal settlement expansion, particularly the E1 plan, which aims to divide the West Bank and isolate Jerusalem, violating international law and undermining the two-state solution.
• ✝️ Religious sites in Jerusalem, Hebron, and Gaza have been attacked, damaging mosques, churches, and cemeteries, in a clear violation of international law and the historic status quo.

Rejection of Hamas Actions and Governance Vision

• 🚫 Abbas explicitly rejected Hamas's October 7th actions, stating they do not represent the Palestinian people or their struggle for freedom.
• 🏛️ He affirmed that Gaza is an integral part of Palestine and expressed readiness for the Palestinian Authority to assume full governance and security responsibilities, with Hamas and other factions disarming.
• 🕊️ The Palestinian leadership reiterates its desire for a state with one law and one security force, not an armed state, emphasizing a commitment to peace.

Historical Context and International Relations

• 📅 The speech referenced the ongoing tragedies of the Nakba since 1948 and decades of occupation, characterized by killing, arrests, settlement expansion, and land theft without accountability.
• 📜 Over 1,000 UN resolutions have been unimplemented, despite numerous international initiatives to resolve the conflict.
• 🤝 The Oslo Accords of 1993 are cited, where Palestine recognized Israel and Israel recognized the PLO, leading to Palestinian institutional restructuring and a rejection of violence, though Israel is accused of systematically undermining these agreements.
• 🌍 Gratitude was expressed to nations that have recognized the State of Palestine, urging others to do so and supporting Palestine's bid for full UN membership.
• ✅ Abbas reiterated Palestine's recognition of Israel's right to exist, first in 1988 and again in 1993, highlighting the continued recognition by 149 states.