Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has warned that Palestinians are facing one of the “most dangerous periods” in their history amid killing, destruction, starvation and attempts at forced displacement in Gaza, calling on the international community to act to protect the Palestinian people.
Addressing the UN General Assembly in a pre-recorded video message on Thursday, Abbas said Israeli policies threaten the “life and existence” of Palestinians and urged world leaders not to allow a “repeat of Nakba and massacres” suffered by Palestinians in 1948.
Abbas called on the United States to work with Palestinians and the international community to implement a two-state solution based on international law.
He also urged US President Donald Trump to honour promises made to Arab countries to prevent the displacement of Palestinians and the annexation of Palestinian land.
He said Palestinians had welcomed Trump's peace plan but had seen no progress on the ground.
The Palestinian president said any transitional period must lead to the unification of Gaza and the occupied West Bank under one state with a single legitimate armed force.
Abbas also said Israel is withholding more than $6 billion in Palestinian funds and demanded their immediate release.
Turning to his own absence from the General Assembly in New York, Abbas rejected Washington’s decision to deny him a visa to attend the UN’s main diplomatic gathering in person.
“We reject these unlawful punitive measures, and we reject the accusations and justifications on which they were based,” he said.
Abbas said the decision to bar his delegation violated US obligations as the UN host country and urged Washington to reverse the sanctions.
