Mahmoud Abbas Warns UN That Israeli Policies Threaten the Existence of Palestinians

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas delivered a prerecorded virtual address at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 24, 2026, after the United States refused to issue visas for the Palestinian delegation. Speaking from his office in Ramallah, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas warned the United Nations General Assembly that Israel’s policies go far beyond undermining a two-state solution and now threaten the very life and existence of Palestinians.

Abbas stated that Palestinians are enduring one of the most dangerous periods in their history, highlighting widespread killing, destruction, starvation, forced displacement, and a genocidal war creating an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. He accused Israeli forces of erasing Palestinian lives in Gaza by destroying neighborhoods, cities, refugee camps, institutions, schools, universities, hospitals, mosques, and churches.

Describing activities in the occupied West Bank as a malicious colonial plan, Abbas noted that Palestinians face forced displacement while Israeli settlements continue to expand on Palestinian land in violation of international law. He urged the international community to implement the two-state solution based on international law to secure a future where Palestinians can live alongside the state of Israel.

Additionally, Abbas announced that the Palestinian Authority plans to hold legislative elections on November 28, marking the first such vote in 20 years, alongside ongoing national reform programs. Meanwhile, Hamas accused Israel of attempting to derail a ceasefire and a US-backed Board of Peace roadmap aimed at ending the war in Gaza, stating that Hamas remains fully ready to implement the agreed peace plan.