UNITED NATIONS: Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas on Thursday called on the international community to stop sending lethal weapons to Israel in order to halt Palestinians’ bloodshed in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, singling out the United States.
While addressing the United Nations General Assembly’s 79thsession in New York, the Palestinian President said that Washington continued to offer diplomatic cover and lethal weapons to Israel for bombardment on Gaza despite the mounting death toll there, now at 41,534 according to the territory’s health ministry.
“Stop this crime. Stop it now. Stop killing children and women. Stop the genocide. Stop sending weapons to Israel,” Abbas implored. He emphasised the need for immediate action to prevent further bloodshed.
Abbas criticized the US government’s role in enabling Israel’s military actions through diplomatic support and vetoes at the UN Security Council.
“The US alone stood and said: ‘No, the fighting is going to continue,'” Abbas stated, referring to Washington’s repeated use of veto power to block resolutions aimed at censure for Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
The Palestinian President accused the US of supplying Israel with lethal weapons that have resulted in significant Palestinian civilian casualties.
Abbas characterized the situation in Gaza as a “full-scale war of genocide,” highlighting the plight of the Palestinian people amid severe humanitarian crises, including widespread displacement, lack of clean water, and shortages of medical supplies. He lamented that entire families have been destroyed, leaving lasting scars on Palestinian society.
The president also took a direct shot at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claims regarding civilian casualties, questioning how so many innocents, particularly children, could have died if such assertions were true.
“Who is it then that killed more than 15,000 children of the 40,000?” Abbas asked.
The plight of the 2.4 million residents of Gaza, most of whom have been displaced at least once since Israel launched the ongoing relentless bombardment campaign, continues to draw global concern.
Abbas said that “Palestine will remain ours,” reinforcing his stance against what he termed the “occupying usurpers.”
