The Palestinian president, speaking by video link after the US denied him a visa, told world leaders that his people "reject" Hamas's attack on Israel in 2023 and pledged that the group would have no role in governing Gaza after the war ends and must hand over its weapons, the Associated Press reported, quoted by BTA.
Mahmoud Abbas told the UN General Assembly that Palestinians in Gaza "face a war of genocide, destruction, famine and displacement" at the hands of Israel. His speech came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu headed to New York to deliver his speech tomorrow.
While describing in horrific detail the death and destruction in Gaza, Abbas said the Palestinian Authority "rejects" the actions of Hamas since October 7, 2023, and that they do not represent their people. He also outlined his vision for what government in the Palestinian territories would look like after the war, saying the Palestinian Authority was "ready to assume full responsibility for governance and security." He added that Hamas would have no role in governance. and will have to hand over their weapons to the Palestinian Authority.
"There will be no justice unless Palestine is liberated," Abbas said.
In his short but forceful speech, Abbas thanked world leaders who had stood by the Palestinians during the Gaza war, saying that the recent recognition of a Palestinian state by countries such as France, Britain and Canada had given his people hope for peace and an end to the conflict. He called on the other dozens of countries to do the same.
"But symbolic recognition is not enough to solve the current problem," Abbas added.
"The time has come for the international community to deal fairly with the Palestinian people, so that they can obtain their legitimate rights to be free from the occupation and not remain hostage to the whims of Israeli policies that deny our rights and continue with their injustice, oppression and aggression," Abbas said.
Before concluding, he sent a message of hope to the Palestinian people, saying that no matter how long the suffering continues, "its results will not break our will to live and survive."
Abbas stressed: "We will not leave our homeland. We will not leave our lands."