Abbas demands end to restrictions, settler violence in West Bank

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has demanded an immediate end to restrictions imposed on Palestine and settler violence in the occupied West Bank.

Addressing the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly via video link, Abbas said it was unacceptable to prevent Palestine from participating in the UNGA session while Israel continues attacks on the Palestinian people.

The UN General Assembly had allowed Abbas to address the session via video link after US visa restrictions prevented him from attending in person.

Abbas described the situation in Gaza as a war of genocide, alleging that Israel was carrying out genocide against Palestinians. He also said illegal settlement activity was expanding in the occupied West Bank and restrictions were being imposed in occupied Jerusalem.

The Palestinian president said preventing the Palestinian delegation from attending the session was contrary to the responsibilities of the United States as the host country.

He said people in Gaza were facing killings, destruction and hunger, adding that US President Donald Trump had welcomed a peace plan, but no progress had been made on it so far.

Abbas said the situation in Gaza remained critical, while the forced displacement of Palestinians and what he described as a genocidal war were intensifying.

He demanded the immediate lifting of restrictions imposed on Palestine and called for measures to prevent settler violence in the occupied West Bank.

Iranian president says Tehran acted in self-defence

Addressing the UN General Assembly a day earlier, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran was not a terrorist state and had acted in self-defence after what he described as attacks by the US and Israel.

Pezeshkian said nuclear energy was part of Iran’s development and was intended for peaceful purposes.

He said Iran did not seek its security at the expense of others’ security and rejected the idea that a few countries should have a monopoly over nuclear energy.

The Iranian president said Tehran could not allow certain parties to have unrestricted access through the Strait of Hormuz while launching operations against Iran.

Pezeshkian rejected allegations that Iran was a terrorist state, saying Tehran had responded to attacks but had not targeted civilian areas.

He questioned why Iran would address the UN General Assembly if it were a terrorist state.

Pezeshkian also accused the US and Israel of violating international law, saying Iran had responded to the attacks in self-defence.