Abbas tells UN that Palestinian lives and statehood are under threat
Mahmoud Abbas addressed the UN General Assembly by prerecorded video from Ramallah after the United States denied visas to him and other Palestinian officials. He accused Israel of endangering Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied territories, criticized the visa restrictions, and called for Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, to be brought under one Palestinian government as part of a two-state solution.
Key points
- Abbas used the address to challenge the U.S. visa measures and urge Washington to lift restrictions on the Palestinian delegation.
Evidence · 3 source statements
He called on the US administration to reverse such measures and “return to the language of dialogue and mutual respect.”
“[rejects] these unlawful punitive measures, as well as the accusations and justifications on which they were based”
- He described Israel’s actions in Gaza and settlement expansion and settler violence in the West Bank as threats to Palestinians and their prospects for statehood.
Evidence · 4 source statements
He said Palestinians in Gaza were being subjected to killing, destruction, starvation, attempted forced displacement and a “a war of genocide”, while in the West Bank settlement…
He added that East Jerusalem was being isolated and settler terrorism was escalating under the occupation forces.
Israeli policies no longer just jeopardized a two-state solution but were now threatening the "very life and existence" of his people.
Abbas went on to say that Israel’s actions no longer only posed a threat to the two-state solution but that the lives and very existence of the Palestinian people in their…
- Abbas called for Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, to be reunited under one Palestinian government, and urged international efforts to preserve a two-state solution.
Evidence · 3 source statements
With one year left of a transitional period due to end in 2027, he called for the second phase to be implemented without further delay, leading to the reunification of Gaza and…
"one state, one government, one law and one legitimate entity authorized to bear arms."
Though negotiations have not taken place for years, Abbas urged the international community to push for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Who's involved
Mahmoud Abbas
As Palestinian Authority president, he addressed the UN and set out the Palestinian leadership’s demands and proposals.
Abbas said Israeli policies threatened Palestinians’ lives and the possibility of a two-state solution. He rejected the U.S. visa measures, opposed displacement, and called for Palestinian political unity across Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
What they said · 4 source statements
Israeli policies no longer just jeopardized a two-state solution but were now threatening the "very life and existence" of his people.
We reject these unlawful punitive measures, and we reject the accusations and justifications on which they were based,
Rather, it must lead to the reunification of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, under the jurisdiction of the State of Palestine and its legitimate…
They will not accept displacement, and they will not disappear.
Benjamin Netanyahu
As Israel’s prime minister, his stated position bears directly on Palestinian statehood and the Palestinian Authority’s role.
Netanyahu has said that no Palestinian state will be established while he leads Israel and that the Palestinian Authority is not a peace partner.
What they said · 1 source statement
Netanyahu has said no Palestinian state will be established while he is Israel's leader and has argued that the Palestinian Authority is not a partner for peace.
What was reported
- Abbas delivered prerecorded remarks to the General Assembly from his office in Ramallah.
Reported independently by 2: CBC News, France 24
Evidence · 2 source statements
Abbas delivered prerecorded remarks to the UN’s General Assembly from his office in Ramallah
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the UN General Assembly on Thursday, delivering pre-recorded remarks from his office in Ramallah
- The United States denied visas to Abbas and other senior Palestinian officials, so they could not attend in person.
One source: CBC News
Evidence · 1 source statement
Earlier on Thursday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the assembly through pre-recorded remarks from his office in Ramallah after the United States denied him and…
- Abbas said Palestinians in Gaza faced killing, destruction, starvation and attempted forced displacement, and called the war genocidal.
Reported independently by 2: BBC News, UN News
Evidence · 2 source statements
He said Palestinians in Gaza were being subjected to killing, destruction, starvation, attempted forced displacement and a “a war of genocide”, while in the West Bank settlement…
“killing, destruction, starvation and attempts at displacement, as well as a genocidal war”
- Abbas said settlement expansion was accelerating and settler violence was escalating in the West Bank, while East Jerusalem was being isolated.
Reported independently by 3: EFE, The Times of Israel, UN News
Evidence · 3 source statements
He added that East Jerusalem was being isolated and settler terrorism was escalating under the occupation forces.
In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, settler expansion is accelerating.
“settler terrorism [that] is escalating under the protection of the occupation forces.”
- Abbas said the Palestinian Authority had carried out a comprehensive reform program and upheld commitments to international law and rejecting violence and terrorism.
One source: The Times of Israel
Evidence · 1 source statement
We affirm that we have fulfilled our obligations, carried out a comprehensive national reform program, and upheld our commitment to international law, to shunning violence and…
- Abbas called for the second phase of the Gaza transition plan to proceed, with Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, under one state, government, law and legitimate authority over arms.
Reported independently by 2: EFE, UN News
Evidence · 3 source statements
With one year left of a transitional period due to end in 2027, he called for the second phase to be implemented without further delay, leading to the reunification of Gaza and…
Abbas called for accelerating the U.S.-backed Gaza peace plan, which is about to mark its first anniversary, so that “the transition phase does not become a permanent situation,”…
He recalled that the second phase of the plan has not begun to be implemented and urged the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Palestinian territory and the start of reconstruction.
Still unclear
- The U.S. administration’s response to Abbas’s appeal to lift the visa measures is not included.
Not heard from
- The U.S. administration — Abbas challenged its visa restrictions, but its own explanation or response to his appeal is not included.
- The Israeli government — Abbas made serious allegations about Israel’s conduct, but the claims here do not include an Israeli government response to those allegations.
- Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank — They are directly affected by the issues Abbas described, but no individual residents’ statements are included.