Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas delivered a video address at the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Thursday, calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, protection for the Palestinian people and the accelerated implementation of the two-state solution based on international law and relevant UN resolutions.
In the vedio address, Abbas said that the Palestinian side welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump's 20-point plan for ending the Gaza conflict and has accepted UN Security Council Resolution 2803 as well as the roadmap for the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, but regretted that none of them has so far been put into practice.
Stressing that Palestinians need a substantive process to fully end the illegal occupation and guarantee their freedom and right to self-determination, Abbas outlined the core goals of the Palestinian side.
He said that on the basis of shielding Palestinians from forced expulsion, safeguarding Palestinian territorial integrity and upholding the right to self-determination, the Palestinians aim to establish an independent, fully sovereign Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, and realize the right of return for refugees.
Abbas reiterated that the Palestinian side insists on pursuing its rights through international law and political and diplomatic channels, and opposes attacks on civilians by any party as well as all forms of terrorism and extremism.
Describing the situation on the ground, he said the people of the Gaza Strip are being subjected to killing, starvation and genocide by Israeli forces, while in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Israel is accelerating its settlement expansion and tolerating settlers' seizure of land and demolition of homes.
He called on the international community to take measures to uphold the two-state solution and put an end to Israel's illegal practices.
Warning that Palestine is now facing an even graver crisis, Abbas said the international community must take urgent actions to halt the deterioration.
He said that Israel is no longer just undermining the two-state solution and obstructing the establishment of a Palestinian state, it is threatening the very lives and survival of the Palestinian people in their ancestral homeland.
Palestinian President calls for accelerated implementation of two-state solution
