MWE Correspondent
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas delivered a virtual address to the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, amid escalating international scrutiny of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
His speech came shortly after the United States denied him a visa to attend the summit in New York in person, underscoring deep divisions in international approaches to the conflict.
In his address, Abbas sharply criticized Israel’s recent settlement expansions in the West Bank and condemned ongoing military operations in Gaza, calling for an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian aid access. He also urged the release of prisoners and hostages and demanded the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, emphasizing the humanitarian toll on civilians.
Abbas made it clear that Hamas would have no role in postwar governance of Gaza, distancing the Palestinian Authority from militant actions. He denounced Hamas’s October 7 attacks on Israeli civilians while affirming the Authority’s readiness to assume responsibility for Gaza’s administration, a move aimed at easing tensions with Israel and the United States.
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The Palestinian leader also criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s vision of a “greater Israel,” warning that continued settlement expansions, particularly in sensitive areas such as E1, jeopardize the prospects of a two-state solution. Abbas reiterated that Palestinians remain committed to their land while seeking a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
His speech came days after France hosted a summit where multiple countries, including the United Kingdom and Canada, officially recognized the State of Palestine. This diplomatic recognition reflects a growing international push to revive negotiations for a two-state solution and address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The United States has remained a vocal opponent of Palestinian statehood efforts, consistently using its veto power in the UN Security Council to block resolutions calling for ceasefires and aid delivery, highlighting persistent divisions among world powers.
Abbas concluded his address by reaffirming the Palestinian commitment to non-violence and rejecting any association of Palestinian advocacy with antisemitism. He expressed gratitude to global allies supporting Palestinian rights and called for a coordinated international effort to achieve a just and lasting peace in the region.
