NEW YORK: Palestine’s President Mahmoud Abbas, addressing the UN General Assembly (UNGA) by video on Thursday, reaffirmed his people’s unwavering connection to their land, adding they will not leave under any circumstances.
“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 send from our blessed and holy land a message of hope and the sound of truth and right and build the bridges of a just peace for the people of our region and the entire world,” Abbas said.
The 89-year-old president slammed Israel’s war in Gaza and the expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.
“It’s a war crime and crime against humanity. It will be recorded in history books and the pages of international conscience as a horrific tragedy of the 20 and 21st centuries,” Abbas told the world leaders.
Abbas had to address through a video link as the United States barred him and his senior aides from traveling to New York, even as the push for the two-state solution gathers steam at the United Nations.
“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. Palestine is ours. Jerusalem is the jewel of our heart and our eternal capital. We will not leave our homeland,” he added.
“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,” the president of the Palestinian Authority said.
“Despite all that our people have suffered, we reject what Hamas carried out on October 7 — actions that targeted Israeli civilians and took them hostages — because these actions do not represent the Palestinian people, nor do they represent their just struggle for freedom and independence,” Abbas said in a video address.
Abbas specifically warned that the E1 settlement project, recently advanced by Israel, would divide the West Bank into two and further entrench the occupation of East Jerusalem—posing a direct threat to the viability of a two-state solution.
He also rejected and denounced the concept of a “Greater Israel”, which he said envisions expansion into neighboring states, calling it a dangerous escalation. Additionally, Abbas condemned recent Israeli attacks on Qatar, describing them as a serious and flagrant violation of international law, and urged the international community to take decisive action to prevent such aggression in the future.
Abbas informed world leaders that “settler terrorism” is increasing with official Israeli support in the occupied West Bank.
He added that Israel’s attacks have not spared religious sites of Muslims and Christians, stating that “it clearly violates international law and historic status.”
Abbas expressed gratitude and appreciation to all the countries that have recently recognised the State of Palestine and those that intend to recognise it soon.
“Our people will not forget this noble position.”
Abbas thanked France, UK, Canada, Australia, Belgium, Portugal, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, San Marino, Andorra and Denmark for their recognition.
“We urge all the states that have not done so yet to recognise the state of Palestine. We call on supporting Palestine obtaining full membership in the United Nations,” he stated.
He stated that Palestine recognised Israel’s right to exist in 1988 and 1993, “and we continue to recognise this right.”
He urged Tel Aviv and its ally, the US, not to impede recognition efforts and the two-state solution.
