A prerecorded United Nations speech by Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel of a “genocidal war” and “settler terrorism,” charging that current policies threaten Palestinians’ very existence.
Story Highlights
- Abbas alleged genocide in Gaza and “settler terrorism” in the West Bank during a UN address.
- Israel rejected the claims, saying its actions target terrorists and follow international law.
- Abbas tied settlement growth and plans like E1 to the collapse of a two-state solution.
- The genocide label remains a legal claim, not a court finding in this record.
What Abbas Said In His United Nations Address
Mahmoud Abbas addressed the United Nations General Assembly by prerecorded video in late September 2026. He said Gaza faced “killing, destruction, starvation, attempted forced displacement,” and a “war of genocide.” He warned that Israeli policies threatened “the very life and existence” of Palestinians on their land. He also described West Bank violence as “settler terrorism” carried out under protection of the occupation forces. Abbas’s language sought to raise urgent global pressure on Israel and its allies.
Abbas linked settlement expansion, including plans around the E1 corridor near Jerusalem, to the breakup of Palestinian territory. He argued these moves would isolate East Jerusalem and kill the two-state solution. He framed settlement growth, demolitions, and displacement as a single policy track that removes Palestinians from key areas. Israeli and Palestinian media summaries highlighted his focus on E1 and his warning of another mass displacement, sometimes called a new Nakba.
How Israel Responded To The Accusations
Israeli officials rejected the genocide charge and said the military targets terrorist groups and follows the law of war. They pointed back to the October 7, 2023 attacks and the hostage crisis to justify operations as self-defense and law enforcement. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also argued that Israel has taken steps to reduce civilian harm while allowing aid into Gaza, and he opposes the creation of a Palestinian state.
The Israel Defense Forces told reporters its mission in the West Bank is to stop terrorism, protect all residents, and enforce law and order. The force denied any plan to eliminate Palestinians as a people. This answer goes directly against Abbas’s charge of “state-backed” terror and a broader colonial scheme. The clash shows how both sides frame the same events with opposing moral and legal labels.
What Is Established, What Is Disputed
Abbas’s speech and its charges are on the record. His claims include genocide, forced displacement, and “settler terrorism,” plus warnings that settlement growth ends any real path to two states. Israel’s response is also clear and consistent: it rejects the genocide label, cites self-defense, and denies intent to destroy a people. Some numbers and legal conclusions in Abbas’s address are not independently verified in the supplied sources, which limits what can be confirmed here.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly via a pre-recorded video.
Here are the key points from his speech:
– Do not allow another Nakba and further massacres like those of 1948 to happen.
– Lasting security cannot… pic.twitter.com/iWj75kqb2l
— Ihab Hassan (@IhabHassane) September 24, 2026
For Americans who worry elites bend rules and look away from human cost, this episode will feel familiar. A leader makes sweeping claims about mass harm. A government under fire denies intent and points to security needs. The truth that matters most to families—safety, food, medicine, and dignity—gets buried under legal terms and diplomatic lines. Clear evidence on aid access, casualty patterns, and settlement files would help pierce the fog and hold power to account, whichever side it implicates.
Sources:
news.un.org, ynetnews.com, dw.com, bbc.com, aljazeera.com, un.org
