President Abbas: The War in Gaza Must Be Stopped and Hamas Has No Role After the War

SadaNews - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stated that peace will not be achieved unless justice is realized, and there will be no justice unless Palestine is liberated.

In his recorded message to the kings, presidents, and leaders of the world at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, on Thursday, he said, "We want to live in freedom, security, and peace like the rest of the peoples of the earth, in an independent and sovereign state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in security and peace with our neighbors."

He added that the time has come for the international community to achieve justice for the Palestinian people, to attain their legitimate rights to be free from occupation, and not to remain hostage to the whims of Israeli politics, which deny our fundamental rights and continue injustice, oppression, and aggression.

In his speech, President Abbas outlined the suffering of Palestinians due to the ongoing Israeli aggression against Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Palestine, asserting that what Israel is doing is not mere aggression, but rather a war crime and a documented crime against humanity, which will be recorded by history books and the conscience of the world as one of the most horrific chapters of human tragedy in the 20th and 21st centuries.

He reiterated the necessity of an immediate and permanent cessation of the war in Gaza, the entry of humanitarian aid unconditionally through United Nations organizations, including UNRWA, the cessation of using starvation as a weapon, the release of all hostages and prisoners from both sides, the complete withdrawal of the occupation from the Gaza Strip, and ensuring that the inhabitants of the Gaza Strip remain on their land without displacement, and implementing the recovery and reconstruction plan in both Gaza and the West Bank.

The President emphasized the need for the State of Palestine to assume its full responsibilities, starting with the administrative committee for the Gaza Strip, headed by a minister in the Palestinian government, to manage the affairs of the strip temporarily, and to connect with the West Bank, all with Arab and international support to protect civilians in Gaza, and to support Palestinian forces under the umbrella of the United Nations, and it should not be a substitute for it.

President Abbas stated that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the State of Palestine, and we are ready to take full responsibility for governance and security in it, and that Hamas will have no role in governance, as it and other factions must hand over their weapons to the Palestinian National Authority as part of the process aimed at building the institutions of one state, one law, and one legitimate security force, reiterating that we do not want an armed state.

He confirmed the need to dismantle the plans for displacement, the necessity to stop settlement activities, settler terrorism, and the theft of Palestinian land and properties under the guise of annexation, as well as to stop assaults on the historical and legal status at holy places, all of which constitute unilateral actions that undermine the two-state solution in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem.

The President called for the release of Palestinian tax funds that Israel is wrongfully withholding, lifting barriers and the economic siege on Palestinian cities, villages, and camps, and supporting national efforts in reform, as well as conducting presidential and parliamentary elections within a year after the war ends.

In this regard, he pointed out that the State of Palestine has begun practical procedures by assigning a committee to draft the interim constitution, which will conclude its work within three months, to transition from authority to state. He said, "We want a modern democratic state, committed to international law, the rule of law, pluralism, peaceful transfer of power, and keen on empowering women and youth."

President Abbas announced his readiness to work with U.S. President Donald Trump, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, France, the United Nations, and all partners, to implement the peace plan approved at the conference held on September 22, paving the way for just peace and comprehensive regional cooperation.

He urged all countries that have not recognized the State of Palestine to do so, demanding support for Palestine's full membership in the United Nations.

He expressed his appreciation for all the peoples and organizations around the world that have demonstrated in support of the Palestinian people's rights to freedom and independence, to stop the war, destruction, and starvation, and affirmed his rejection of conflating solidarity with the Palestinian cause and anti-Semitism, which we reject based on our values and principles.

He concluded his speech addressing the Palestinian people at home and in exile and diaspora: "No matter how much the wounds bleed, and however long the suffering lasts, it will not break our will to live and stay. The dawn of freedom will rise, and the flag of Palestine will soar high in our skies, a symbol of dignity, resilience, and liberation from the yoke of occupation."

He added: "Palestine is ours, and Jerusalem is the jewel of our hearts and our eternal capital. We will not leave our homeland, and we will not depart from our land, and our people will remain rooted like the olive tree, steadfast as rock, rising from the rubble to rebuild anew, sending from their blessed land messages of hope, the voice of truth, and bridges of just peace to our region's peoples and the entire world."