Mahmoud Abbas tells UN Palestinians will not leave their land and calls for full statehood

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas spoke to world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday. He delivered his speech through a video message after the United States denied him a visa to attend the event in person.

In his speech, Abbas said that Palestinians reject the 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas. He also said that Hamas would not be allowed to govern Gaza after the war ends. He stated that his administration is ready to take control of Gaza and that Hamas must give up its weapons.

Abbas said that people in Gaza are facing “genocide, destruction, starvation and displacement” because of the war. He accused Israel of committing war crimes. He said that Israel’s actions in Gaza are not just military attacks but crimes against humanity. His comments came a day before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to speak at the UN in New York.

Abbas repeated his call for a two-state solution, where Palestine and Israel would exist side by side. He said this idea has received support from many countries in recent weeks.

Several countries, including France, the United Kingdom, and Canada, have recently announced that they now recognize a Palestinian state. Abbas thanked these countries but said that symbolic support is not enough. He asked the global community to help Palestinians gain their full rights and end the Israeli occupation.

Abbas said that the Palestinian Authority is ready to take full responsibility for both governance and security in Gaza. He made it clear that Hamas will not be part of any future government there. He said Hamas must hand over its weapons. While Hamas has agreed to leave power in Gaza, it has refused to give up its arms. Hamas says it has the right to fight Israeli occupation.

Abbas and Hamas have been political rivals for many years. Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007 after fighting with Abbas’ Fatah party. Since then, many efforts to form a unity government have failed.

The ongoing war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led fighters entered Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel responded with heavy airstrikes and a ground offensive in Gaza. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 65,000 people have been killed and over 167,000 injured in the conflict. Most buildings in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed, and more than 90% of the population has been displaced.

Abbas ended his speech by sending a message to the Palestinian people. He said their suffering would not break their will to survive. “We will not leave our homeland,” he said. “We will not leave our lands. The dawn of freedom will emerge.”