Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, recently addressed the U.N. General Assembly via video from his headquarters in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. This virtual appearance came after he was denied a physical visa to attend the gathering in New York.
Speaking to an audience largely supportive of his long-standing mission to establish an independent Palestinian state free from Israeli military occupation, Abbas’s address was particularly timely. The ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip has been a central theme at this year’s General Assembly. Furthermore, Palestinian statehood received significant attention at a recent conference co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia.
During that conference, a majority of world leaders vocalized their recognition of Palestinian statehood. Many also criticized Israel’s military operations in Gaza, which have resulted in 65,000 deaths and displaced over a million people, with some describing the situation as genocide. These leaders collectively urged an end to the suffering and starvation affecting Palestinians.
This past week marked a pivotal moment for Abbas’s enduring ambition, as ten Western nations, including France, Britain, Canada, Australia, and Belgium, officially recognized Palestinian statehood. This brings the total number of countries acknowledging a Palestinian state to approximately 160.
Both Israel and the United States have publicly opposed these recognitions. They argue that such moves are a concession to Hamas, the group responsible for the October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, which killed around 1,200 people and led to the abduction of approximately 250. Both nations dismissed the statehood announcements as symbolic gestures with little practical impact on the situation in Gaza.
However, the growing international recognition of Palestinian statehood holds considerable political and symbolic weight, potentially increasing pressure on Israel to pursue a two-state solution.
Recent weeks have seen Israeli officials hint at the possibility of annexing parts of the West Bank in response to these statehood recognitions. Despite this, President Trump reportedly assured leaders from Arab and Muslim-majority countries this week that he would not permit Israel to annex the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
In his virtual address to the French and Saudi-hosted conference, Abbas explicitly stated that Hamas would have no role in a future Palestinian state. He called for the militant group to release all hostages and disarm, while also calling on Israel to cease hostilities and return to negotiations.
“Enough violence and war,” Abbas declared. “Our future and yours hinges on peace. Our generation deserves to live in freedom and security.”