Abbas Condemns Israeli Expansion Plans and Criticizes Attack on Qatar
Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas delivered a poignant address at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) via videolink, highlighting the urgent need for an independent Palestinian state. This address comes amidst ongoing tensions and significant humanitarian crises affecting the Palestinian people, particularly in the Gaza Strip.
Abbas’s speech has garnered considerable attention as he addressed the dire circumstances faced by Palestinians. “I speak to you today after almost two years in which our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip have been facing a war of genocide, destruction, starvation and displacement,” he stated, as reported by Al Jazeera.
He emphasized that the violence has resulted in the deaths and injuries of over 220,000 Palestinians, predominantly unarmed civilians, including children, women, and the elderly. “What Israel is carrying out is not merely an aggression. It is a war crime and a crime against humanity that is both documented and monitored, and it will be recorded in history books and the pages of international conscience as one of the most horrific chapters of humanitarian tragedy in the 20th and 21st centuries,” he declared.
After outlining the catastrophic situation in Gaza, Abbas shifted his focus to the West Bank. He criticized the “extremist Israeli government” for continuing its plans for illegal settlement expansions, which he described as a “settlement disease.” Specific mention was made of the E1 settlement plan, which he warned could:
- Divide the West Bank into two separate parts
- Isolate occupied Jerusalem from its surrounding areas
- Undermine the viability of the two-state solution
Abbas condemned these actions as blatant violations of international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, stating, “We reject and completely deplore” Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s calls for a “greater Israel” that encroaches upon sovereign Arab states.
In his address, Abbas characterized the situation as an escalation of violence, describing attacks by settlers on Palestinian civilians. He noted, “They burn homes and fields, they uproot trees and attack villages and unarmed Palestinian civilians,” adding that such attacks occur “in broad daylight under the protection of the Israeli occupation army.”
Furthermore, Abbas raised concerns about attacks on religious sites across the region, including Islamic and Christian locations in al-Quds, Hebron, and Gaza. He condemned the damage inflicted on mosques, churches, and cemeteries, calling it a “blatant violation of the historic status quo and international law.”
Highlighting the ongoing plight of Palestinians, he stated, “Seven million Palestinians are still living the tragedies of the Nakba and displacement since 1948.” He lamented, “Our people in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and in the Gaza Strip, are still living the tragedies of the Israeli aggression and occupation for decades.”
Abbas pointed out the persistent issues faced by Palestinians under occupation, including killings, arrests, and the theft of property and land. He expressed frustration that despite over 1,000 resolutions passed by the United Nations, none have been implemented. “Many international efforts and initiatives have not concluded this tragic situation that the Palestinian people are living under the yoke of occupation,” he said.
Reflecting on the Palestinian Authority’s commitment to peace, Abbas stated that they have adhered to the 1993 Oslo Accords, restructured their institutions, and rejected violence in favor of a culture of peace. He asserted, “We made all our efforts to build the institutions of a modern Palestinian state that lives side by side in peace and security with Israel, but Israel did not adhere to signed agreements and has worked systematically to undermine them.”
Abbas concluded his address with a powerful message for Palestinians, both in their homeland and abroad. “No matter how much our wounds bleed, and no matter how long this suffering lasts, it will not break our will to live and survive,” he proclaimed. He expressed hope for a brighter future, stating, “The dawn of freedom will emerge, and the flag of Palestine will fly high in our skies as a symbol of dignity, steadfastness and being free from the yoke of occupation.”
He emphasized the enduring connection of Palestinians to their homeland, saying, “We will not leave our lands. Our people will remain rooted like the olive trees. Firm as the rocks, we will rise from under the rubble to rebuild and to send from our blessed and holy land the messages of hope and the sound of truth and right, building bridges for just peace for the people of our region and the entire world.”
