Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, attended the UN General Assembly virtually, after the US refused him a visa to attend in person.
In his speech on Thursday, Abbas urged all countries to recognise the Palestinian state. He also said that Hamas would have no role in governing the Gaza Strip.
"Hamas will not have a role to play in governance. Hamas and other factions will have to hand over their weapons to the Palestinian National Authority," he told the UN General Assembly in a video message, cited by AFP.
Abbas further added that Palestinians in Gaza “have been facing a war of genocide, destruction, starvation and displacement” by Israel.
His speech comes a day ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address on Friday.
He painted a grim picture of the death and destruction in Gaza and made it clear that Palestinian authorities “reject” the actions carried out by Hamas on October 7, saying they do not represent the Palestinian people.
The Palestinian president also outlined his vision for governance once the war ends, stating that the Palestinian Authority is “ready to bear full responsibility for governance and security.”
“There can be no justice if Palestine is not freed,” Abbas said.
Thursday marks the third day of the United Nations General Debate, where Yemen’s President Rashad Mohammed Al-Alimi, North Macedonia’s President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, and Haiti’s President Anthony Franck Laurent Saint Cyr are also scheduled to speak.
Last week, the UNGA voted on whether to allow Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to address the assembly virtually, after the Trump administration had cancelled his visa.
The vote ended on a positive note for Abbas, with 145 countries supporting his virtual address. Five countries opposed it, including Israel and the US, while six abstained. The other nations against were Palau, Paraguay, and Nauru, ANI reported.
In his speech on Thursday, Abbas urged all countries to recognise the Palestinian state. He also said that Hamas would have no role in governing the Gaza Strip.
"Hamas will not have a role to play in governance. Hamas and other factions will have to hand over their weapons to the Palestinian National Authority," he told the UN General Assembly in a video message, cited by AFP.
Abbas further added that Palestinians in Gaza “have been facing a war of genocide, destruction, starvation and displacement” by Israel.
His speech comes a day ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address on Friday.
He painted a grim picture of the death and destruction in Gaza and made it clear that Palestinian authorities “reject” the actions carried out by Hamas on October 7, saying they do not represent the Palestinian people.
The Palestinian president also outlined his vision for governance once the war ends, stating that the Palestinian Authority is “ready to bear full responsibility for governance and security.”
“There can be no justice if Palestine is not freed,” Abbas said.
Thursday marks the third day of the United Nations General Debate, where Yemen’s President Rashad Mohammed Al-Alimi, North Macedonia’s President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, and Haiti’s President Anthony Franck Laurent Saint Cyr are also scheduled to speak.
Last week, the UNGA voted on whether to allow Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to address the assembly virtually, after the Trump administration had cancelled his visa.
The vote ended on a positive note for Abbas, with 145 countries supporting his virtual address. Five countries opposed it, including Israel and the US, while six abstained. The other nations against were Palau, Paraguay, and Nauru, ANI reported.
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