“We declare our readiness to work with President Donald Trump, Saudi Arabia, France, the United Nations, and all partners to implement the peace plan adopted at the September 22 conference, paving the way to a just peace and comprehensive regional cooperation,” Abbas said as he outlined his demands for the international community.
The Palestinian president, who was banned from attending the UNGA by the Trump administration, outlined several demands to the international community after 159 countries recognized Palestinian statehood as of Wednesday./
- An immediate ceasefire and permanent end to the war in Gaza;
- The unconditional delivery of humanitarian aid through UN agencies, including UNRWA, and an end to the use of starvation as a weapon;
- The release of all hostages and prisoners on both sides;
- The full withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from Gaza, rejection of displacement schemes, cessation of settlement activity and settler terrorism, and halting violations of holy sites;
- Guaranteeing that Gaza’s residents remain without displacement, and implementing reconstruction plans in Gaza and the West Bank;
- The release of Palestinian tax revenues illegally withheld by Israel, lifting of barriers, and ending the economic siege imposed on Palestinian towns, villages, and refugee camps;
- Support for national reform efforts, including holding presidential and parliamentary elections within one year after the war’s end.
Abbas warned that Palestinians are enduring “a war of genocide, destruction, starvation and displacement” at the hands of Israel, and declared, “There will be no peace without justice, and no justice without Palestine’s liberation.”
He denounced Israel’s war on Gaza, saying it “has killed and wounded more than 220,000 Palestinians, the majority of them children, women, and elderly civilians,” and described it as “a suffocating siege… destroying more than 80 percent of homes, schools, hospitals, churches, mosques, and infrastructure.”
“This is not just aggression. It is a war crime and a crime against humanity, documented and monitored, and it will be recorded in history books and in the conscience of humanity as one of the most horrific chapters of human tragedy,” Abbas said.
“We want to live in freedom, security, and peace like all other peoples of the earth, in an independent, sovereign state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, living in peace with our neighbors,” he stressed.
Turning to the West Bank, Abbas said, “In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem… the extremist Israeli government continues implementing colonial policies through illegal settlement expansion and annexation projects, the latest being the construction plan in E1.”
He added, “This is in blatant violation of international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions, foremost among them Resolution 2334.”
Abbas also condemned Israeli ambitions, saying, “This is in addition to the Israeli Prime Minister’s announcement of his so-called ‘Greater Israel’ plan, which we categorically reject and condemn, as it includes expansion into sovereign Arab states.”
On settler violence, he warned, “With official encouragement and growing impunity, settler terrorism is escalating: settlers burn homes and fields, uproot trees, attack villages, assault unarmed Palestinian civilians, and even kill them in broad daylight under the protection of the Israeli army.”
Addressing Hamas, Abbas said, “Despite all that our people have suffered, we reject what Hamas carried out on October 7th.” He reaffirmed, “Hamas will have no role in governance, and it, along with other factions, must hand over its weapons to the Palestinian National Authority within the framework of building the institutions of one state, one law, and one legitimate security force.”
Abbas also confirmed, “We have affirmed, and will continue to affirm, that Gaza is an integral part of the State of Palestine, and that we are ready to assume full responsibility for governance and security there.”
Calling on the international community, Abbas stressed, “The time has come for the international community to grant justice to the Palestinian people, so they may achieve their legitimate rights and break free from occupation.”
He described his vision for Palestine: “We want a modern, civil state, free of violence, weapons, and extremism, respectful of law and human rights, investing in people, development, technology, and education, not in wars and conflicts.”
Abbas concluded, “However deep our wounds, however long our suffering, they will not break our will to live and endure. The dawn of freedom will rise, and the flag of Palestine will fly high in our skies, symbolizing dignity, resilience, and liberation from occupation.”
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