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Abbas: UN should fulfill obligations, pursue justice for Palestine

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
22 Sep 2023 00:44

Mahmoud Abbas addresses the UN General Assembly and demands that the international body recognize Palestine as a permanent member state.

The President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, addresses the 78th United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City, United States, on September 21, 2023. (AFP)

The Israeli occupation is challenging the resolutions of the United Nations and violating the principles of international law, President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas said at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The Israeli occupation is in a race against time to enforce "racial segregation", he emphasized during his speech at the 78th session of the UNGA.

Abbas called on the international community to hold an international conference on peace, which would feature the participation of the concerned Middle Eastern states. Abbas said the conference would be "the last opportunity to salvage the two-state solution and to prevent the situation from deteriorating more seriously and threatening the security and stability of our region and the entire world."

The President of the PA stressed, "It is necessary to take practical steps to recognize the state of Palestine and award it its permanent membership status."

"Israel" has violated the conditions upon which its UN membership is contingent, and the United Nations should undertake necessary measures to discourage such actions, Abbas said.

The PA's President added that Palestinian people are defending their legitimate rights through peaceful popular resistance aimed at liberating their land from an occupation that does not believe in peace.

He also emphasized that Palestinians will continue to file lawsuits against the Israeli government for restricting elections in eastern al-Quds.

Abbas advocated for the designation of May 15 as a day of remembrance for the Palestinian Nakba, with the aim of acknowledging and preventing this humanitarian tragedy.

Finally, Abbas demanded that the international community fulfill its obligations, seek justice for Palestinians, and enforce resolutions addressing the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.

Earlier on Wednesday, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune called for holding an extraordinary General Assembly session to grant the State of Palestine full membership in the United Nations, stressing that Algeria will continue to support the Palestinian cause and the rights of the Palestinian people to form their independent state in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy.