Abbas and Netanyahu clash in dueling UN addresses

Sep 24, 2026

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas used a pre-recorded UN speech to warn that settler violence in the West Bank now threatens Palestinian survival itself — a grim picture for Palestinians and for anyone still betting on a two-state deal.

  • Abbas was denied a US visa again, so he addressed the General Assembly by video while Netanyahu spoke in person.
  • His speech described settlers burning homes with families inside, land seizures, demolitions and checkpoints across the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
  • The bleak lesson: the West Bank cooperates with Israel and is still terrorized, while Gaza resists and faces destruction.
  • Abbas welcomed Trump's 20-point plan and the related UN resolution, but said none of it has materialized on the ground.
  • Defenders of the plan lean on accusations of antisemitism rather than explaining what the "Board of Peace" would actually do.

Outlook: Expect the Gaza plan to stall further while West Bank settlement expansion continues, leaving the two-state framework effectively dead.

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