Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas is slated to address the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday by video after the U.S. revoked his visa last month.
The U.N. last week voted in a 145-5 vote to allow Abbas to speak during the major international event, after the U.S. accused the Palestinian leadership of undermining peace efforts and barred entry for about 80 Palestinians.
It is unclear how Abbas’ address will differ from the one he gave Monday at an event co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia, during which the Palestinian leader called for an immediate cease-fire and for Hamas to hand over all weapons to the PA.
“Hamas will have no role in governance, and it, along with other factions, must hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority, because we want one unified state, without arms outside the framework of the law, under one legal system, and with one legitimate security force,” he said.
“We reaffirm our condemnation of the crimes of the occupation, as we also condemn the killing and kidnapping of civilians, including what Hamas committed on October 7, 2023,” Abbas added.
The PA, established in 1994 following the Oslo Accords peace agreement with Israel but largely sidelined after 2005, still operates in the West Bank.
The governing authority has long clashed with Hamas, which assumed de facto power in the Gaza Strip in 2007 following a violent power struggle.
But the State Department last month said the PA “must consistently repudiate terrorism — including the October 7 massacre” before it “can be considered partners for peace.”
The PA has not played a significant role in ceasefire negotiations, though Abbas on Monday thanked the U.S., Qatar and Egypt for their mediating efforts with Israel.
Abbas argued that the PA “is the only legitimate authority qualified to assume full responsibility for governance and security in Gaza, through a temporary administrative committee linked to the Palestinian government in the West Bank, with Arab and international support.”
The Palestinian president said his government has been pursuing a “comprehensive reform agenda” that will “strengthen governance, transparency and the rule of law” for Gaza.
He said the plan being drawn up includes reforming financial institutions, school curricula in line with UNESCO standards, establishing a social welfare program, and holding presidential and parliamentary elections within one year of the war’s end.
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