Palestinian leader warns of 'catastrophic danger' of Israel's settlement

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas shed light Thursday on the "catastrophic danger of the racist Israeli settlement" of Palestine. In his speech before the UN General Assembly's 67th session, Abbas said "developments over the past year have confirmed what we have persistently drawn attention to and warned of: the catastrophic danger of the racist Israeli settlement of our country, Palestine". Abbas pointed out to the recent attacks "by terrorist militias of Israeli settlers have become a daily reality". "We are facing relentless waves of attacks against our people, our mosques, churches and monasteries, and our homes and schools," he remarked. He added that "they are unleashing their venom against our trees, fields, crops and properties, and our people have become fixed targets for acts of killing and abuse with the complete collusion of the occupying forces and the Israeli Government". Abbas stressed that Israel's "overall policy is ultimately leading to the weakening of the Palestinian National Authority, undermining its ability to carry out its functions and to implement its obligations, which threatens to undermine its very existence and threatens its collapse". In this regard, the Palestinian President called on the Security Council to "urgently adopt a resolution comprising the basis and foundations for a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict that would serve as a binding reference and guide for all if the vision of two-States, Israel and Palestine, is to survive and if peace is to prevail in the land of peace". Meanwhile, Abbas said that "intensive consultations with various regional organizations and Member States" have begun in order to have the General Assembly adopt a resolution "considering the State of Palestine as a non-Member State of the United Nations during this session". He expressed confidence that "the vast majority of the countries of the world support our endeavor aimed at salvaging the chances for a just peace". "In our endeavor, we do not seek to delegitimize an existing State - that is Israel; but rather to assert the State that must be realized - that is Palestine," he stressed. Abbas, who concluded saying "prevent the occurrence of a new Nakba in the Holy Land. Support the realization of a free, independent State of Palestine now. Let peace be victorious before it is too late," got a standing ovation and long round of applause when he finished his speech.