Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas delivered a passionate message at the UN General Assembly on Thursday, calling out Hamas while pushing for peace amid growing global support for Palestinian statehood. Speaking via video link after the US blocked his travel to New York, Abbas stood firm: “Palestine is ours. We will not leave our land. We will not leave our homeland. Our people are rooted like the olive trees.”
With more than 150 countries now recognizing Palestine as a state—a number that climbed this week at the UN—Abbas offered to team up with US President Donald Trump, France, and Saudi Arabia to roll out a new UN-backed peace plan. He stressed that true justice means a free Palestine, and he reaffirmed Palestine’s recognition of Israel.
Abbas sharply criticized Hamas, whose 2023 attack on Israel killed over 1,200 people and took 250 hostages. “Their actions don’t represent the Palestinian people,” he said. He urged Hamas to free the remaining hostages, disarm, and step aside. “We do not want an armed state,” Abbas added. If the Palestinian Authority takes control of Gaza after the conflict ends, he insisted, Hamas and other groups must hand over their weapons and stay out of power there.
The speech comes as tensions simmer in Gaza and the West Bank. Some Israeli leaders push to annex these territories, which could kill hopes for the UN-endorsed two-state solution. Abbas slammed Israel’s actions as “genocide” and condemned the expanding settlements in the West Bank. He called for an Arab and international force to protect Palestinians in Gaza once Israel withdraws.
On the US side, Trump met with Arab and Muslim leaders Tuesday and promised not to let Israel annex Palestinian lands, sources told media outlets. That’s a shift from his past idea of turning parts of Gaza into a resort. Still, Trump has long opposed the two-state solution and blocked US recognition of Palestine, even pressuring allies like Britain and France to follow suit.
Abbas addressed the 80th UN General Assembly session from a simple desk setup with a blue background featuring UN logos. Dozens of world leaders had spoken before him, many voicing strong support for Palestine’s push for statehood and an end to the violence.
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