Abbas at UN says Palestinians won’t allow a single centimeter of Gaza to be taken by Israel

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the 79th United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York on 26 September 2024

Ben Samuels reports in Haaretz on 26 September 2024:

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas took the stage on Thursday at the United Nations General Assembly and denounced Israeli actions in Gaza and the West Bank, calling it a “full-scale war and genocide.”

Addressing the international body, Abbas was met with sustained applause as he firmly declared: “We will not leave, we will not leave, we will not leave. Palestine is our homeland. If anyone were to leave, it would be the occupying usurpers,” adding that “we will not allow a single centimeter of Gaza to be taken by Israel.”

“For almost a year now,” The Palestinian Authority leader continued. “Our people are subjected to one of the most heinous crimes of our era. A crime of full-scale war and genocide that Israel is perpetrating.”

He directly rejected claims made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his July speech before the U.S. Congress, where Netanyahu asserted that the Israeli army does not target innocent civilians in Gaza.

“Who, then, killed more than 15,000 children out of the 40,000 dead? And an equal number of women and elderly? Who is still killing them today?” Abbas asked. “Stop the killing. Stop the genocide. Stop sending weapons to Israel. This madness cannot continue.”

Abbas emphasized the role of the international community, holding it responsible for failing to prevent what he called “a daily and continuous Israeli aggression” in both Gaza and the West Bank. He condemned the expansion of Israeli settlements, accusing Israel of building “everywhere, as if all of Palestine is theirs,” and pointed to violent settler attacks, which he claimed were being carried out with the support of the Israeli government and military.

Abbas called for the revocation of Israel’s UN membership, arguing that it has consistently failed to fulfill the conditions for UN membership, highlighting inflammatory statements made by Israeli officials, including one that called for the destruction of the UN building itself. According to Abbas, Israel’s actions prove it does not deserve to be a member of the United Nations.

Abbas further expressed particular alarm over the situation in Jerusalem, denouncing Israeli attempts to “Judaize” the city and alter its historical and legal status. He cited a call by a “terrorist Israeli minister” for the construction of a temple on the grounds of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, referring to National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who, according to Abbas, “wants to set fire of religious conflict and strife that will burn everything in its way.”

Abbas reflected on the events of October 7, when violence erupted in the region, as a consequence of mounting tensions. He reiterated his consistent stance of condemning the killing of civilians, regardless of their nationality, and called for the release of “prisoners and those detained” by both sides.

“There’s no need to detain women, children, and the elderly. We’ve said this repeatedly. I call on anyone who has these people detained to immediately come to the negotiating table to implement a two-state solution based on international resolutions,” Abbas urged.

However, instead of pursuing dialogue, Abbas claimed Israel used the October incident as a pretext to launch an all-out war against Gaza, which he labeled as “genocide.” He added that Israel’s military operations had effectively reoccupied the Gaza Strip and rendered the area uninhabitable.

The Palestinian president was especially critical of the United States, accusing it of obstructing attempts to halt the violence. He expressed regret that the U.S. had used its veto power in the Security Council to block resolutions calling for a cease-fire.

“We regret that the U.S. administration, the democracy of the world, obstructed three draft resolutions demanding Israel observe a cease-fire. The U.S. alone stood in the way, and it furnished Israel with deadly weapons that were used to kill thousands of innocent civilians.”

Abbas did not hold back in questioning U.S. motivations, pointing out that the U.S. was the only country to vote against granting Palestine full UN membership. “I don’t understand how the U.S. can insist on opposing our people and depriving us of our legitimate rights to freedom and independence,” he said.

Despite the harsh rhetoric, Abbas reaffirmed his recognition of the State of Israel but lamented that Israel had yet to recognize a Palestinian state in return. “We recognize the State of Israel, but the State of Israel doesn’t recognize us. We want a solution that will protect both countries so they can coexist in peace, stability, and security.”

Abbas concluded by expressing gratitude to those around the world who have shown solidarity with the Palestinian cause, including protests in the U.S. “I acknowledge the American people are marching in the streets, and we are grateful.”

Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, said following Abbas’ address that “Abbas spoke for 26 minutes and did not say the word ‘Hamas’ once. Since the massacre of October 7, Abbas has failed to condemn Hamas for their crimes against humanity.”  Danon added that under Abbas’ leadership, the PA “pays salaries to terrorists who kill Israelis: whoever kills more, Abbas pays him more. Only when he stands on the UN platform does he talk about a peaceful solution.”  “There is no greater hypocrisy and lie than this. Abbas’s legacy is one of chronic weakness in the face of terrorism and hatred,” Danon concluded.

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