Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas delivered a stark warning to the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, stating that Israeli policies are endangering the life and existence of the Palestinian people. Addressing the body via prerecorded video from his office in Ramallah, Abbas cited the ongoing military occupation in the West Bank and the devastating war in Gaza as critical factors.
The address comes after the United States denied visas to Abbas and other senior Palestinian officials for the second consecutive year, preventing them from attending the annual gathering in person. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was scheduled to speak shortly after the broadcast, leaving the Israeli delegation’s seats vacant during Abbas’s remarks.
“The Palestinian people face one of the most dangerous times in its history,” Abbas said. He accused Israel of targeting fundamental necessities for survival and urged the global community to condemn these actions more forcefully. “How much longer will some states continue to remain silent against Israel or supply it with the weapons it uses against our people?” he asked.
Although peace talks have stalled for years, Abbas reiterated his support for a two-state solution. This stance contrasts sharply with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s position, who has declared that no Palestinian state will be established during his tenure and questioned the Palestinian Authority’s commitment to peace.
Abbas also challenged the international community’s plan, championed by former President Donald Trump, to place Gaza under the governance of a “Board of Peace.” He argued that the Strip cannot remain politically detached from the West Bank and East Jerusalem indefinitely, insisting instead on a unified governance structure comprising “one state, one government, one law and one legitimate entity authorised to bear arms.”
The 90-year-old leader has headed the Palestinian Authority since 2005, but his domestic support has eroded amid allegations of corruption and the expansion of Israeli settlements. While Palestine holds recognition as a country from a majority of UN member states, Abbas and the authority have been largely marginalized from negotiations regarding Gaza’s future, which are being managed by Trump’s transition board.
I wonder if the Board of Peace plan will actually gain any traction. Gaza needs governance, not another detached committee.
How much longer will the world stay silent? The call for urgent action feels increasingly desperate but necessary.
One state, one government. Abbas is essentially admitting the two-state solution is dead, yet still clinging to it diplomatically.
It is troubling that Abbas cannot attend in person while Netanyahu gets the stage. The visa denials seem politically motivated.