New york: Addressing the 80th session of the UN General Assembly via video conference after a US visa refusal, President Mahmoud Abbas stressed that, 'there will be no peace without justice, and no justice without Palestine's liberation.'
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, President Abbas emphasized the necessity for the international community to grant justice to the Palestinian people, enabling them to achieve their legitimate rights and break free from occupation. He called for an independent, sovereign state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, living in peace with its neighbors.
President Abbas highlighted the dire situation in the Gaza Strip, where he described ongoing violence and human rights violations as a "genocidal war of extermination." He accused Israeli occupation forces of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, resulting in the deaths and injuries of over 220,000 Palestinians and displacing hundreds of thousands. The President condemned the suffocating siege imposed on the Palestinian people, which has destroyed infrastructure and starved millions.
He also addressed the situation in the West Bank, criticizing illegal settlement expansion and annexation projects that violate international law and undermine the two-state solution. Abbas condemned the Israeli Prime Minister's 'Greater Israel' plan and the recent attack against Qatar, calling for decisive international intervention.
Abbas rejected actions by Hamas on October 7th, which targeted Israeli civilians, and asserted that such actions do not represent the Palestinian people's struggle. He reiterated that Gaza is an integral part of the State of Palestine and emphasized that Hamas must relinquish its weapons to the Palestinian National Authority.
The President called on the international community to support the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and sovereignty. He urged all states that have not yet recognized Palestine to do so and demanded support for Palestine's full UN membership. Abbas expressed gratitude to countries that have recently recognized Palestine and acknowledged the leadership of Saudi Arabia and France in a recent international peace conference.
In conclusion, President Abbas reaffirmed the Palestinian commitment to a peaceful, legal, and diplomatic struggle for rights and called for an immediate cessation of the war in Gaza, the delivery of humanitarian aid, and the release of hostages and prisoners. He urged the international community to support a peace plan that would lead to a just and comprehensive regional cooperation.
