Addressing the U.N. General Assembly Thursday, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas praised Palestinian terrorists imprisoned in Israel.
"I pay tribute to all peace-loving countries and peoples and our martyrs that Israel considers criminals ... and say to all Palestinians that we are soon approaching our day of freedom and independence and that the darkness of occupation will soon vanish," Abbas said in Arabic.
In his address, Abbas lashed out against Israel's recently approved nation-state law, which constitutionally defines Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people.
"Last July, Israel adopted a racist law that crossed every red line," Abbas said. "This law severs the link between the Palestinian people and their historic homeland, and dismisses their right to self-determination, their history and their heritage, as well as violating the U.N. resolutions relevant to the Palestine question and the agreements concluded with Israel."
"This law will inevitably lead to one racist state, an apartheid state, and nullify the two-state solution," he said.
Abbas went on to attack U.S. President Donald Trump for his decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December, 2017, saying this clearly pro-Israel move underscores the United States' inability to function as an honest broker of peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
He asked that Trump reverse the recent cuts to Palestinian aid, saying these moves had undermined any possible progress toward a two-state solution to the conflict.
"The U.S. cannot be a mediator on its own," Abbas said. "Any country can join the Quartet whether it is in Europe, the U.S., the Americas, Africa, even the Arab countries. Anyone can join the Quartet to act as mediators between us and the Israelis. But the U.S. on its own? No, because they are too biased in favor of Israel."
He also said that Israel was in violation of the bilateral agreements it has signed with Palestinians since the early 1990s. "There are agreements with Israel starting with the Oslo Accords … all of which have been abrogated by Israel and we call upon Israel to re-engage in these agreements. "
He warned that "either Israel abides by these agreements, or else we will renege on them and Israel will bear the responsibility and consequences of this."
In conclusion, he asked Palestinians "to stay patient and steadfast, and continue to sacrifice until we achieve independence and self-determination and establish a state with Jerusalem as its capital."
Abbas' speech drew condemnation from Hamas, the Palestinian faction that is the chief rival of Abbas' Fatah movement, with one Hamas official saying that he had "conceded that his policies have failed and he admits to have torpedoed the efforts to calm the situation in the Gaza Strip."
The official further added that "the Palestinian people are suffering because of his [Abbas'] mistakes."
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, meanwhile, also criticized Abbas' speech, saying: "Instead of accepting Israel's and the U.S.'s outstretched hand, the only thing that interests [him] is to settle scores and drive the region toward confrontation."
