According to a report by The Jerusalem Post, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas told the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday that the Palestinian Authority is ready to renounce terrorism and pursue peace with Israel. His remarks were delivered via video link, after the United States denied him and other Palestinian officials visas to attend in person.
“We amended our National Charter, and we rejected violence and terrorism, and we adopted a culture of peace,” Abbas declared in his address. “We made all our efforts to build the institutions of a modern Palestinian state that lives side by side in peace and security with Israel.”
At the same time, Abbas criticized Israel for failing to uphold its obligations under past agreements. “But Israel did not adhere to the signed agreements, and has worked systematically on undermining them,” he said, accusing Israel of eroding trust and weakening the peace process.
The U.S. decision to bar Abbas and other officials was rooted in longstanding American and Israeli claims that the PA and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) have not fully abandoned ties to terrorism. Washington has also opposed Palestinian efforts to seek international recognition of statehood without direct negotiations with Israel.
Abbas’s remarks came during a renewed international discussion about Palestinian statehood in light of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Several Western nations, including France, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Portugal, have recently recognized Palestinian statehood, signaling growing momentum behind the cause. Additional countries are expected to make similar announcements in the coming weeks.
By stressing the PA’s commitment to peace and institution-building, Abbas sought to bolster international support and distinguish his leadership from Hamas. His message was aimed at reinforcing the Palestinian Authority’s legitimacy as the primary representative of the Palestinian people in the pursuit of statehood. See, More, Here>>>>
