Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas emphasized today, Thursday, that peace in the Middle East will only be realized after granting the Palestinian people "full rights," seemingly in reference to a potential normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia, mediated by the United States. Abbas stated in a speech at the United Nations General Assembly, "It is a delusion to think that peace can be achieved in the Middle East without our people obtaining their full rights."
This statement from Abbas comes as the United States appears to be making progress toward a potential normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel could significantly reshape the Middle East by officially bringing together the two long-time adversaries, who are also key partners of the United States.
The normalization talks are a central focus of complex negotiations that also involve discussions around American security guarantees, as well as assistance in civilian nuclear power sought by Riyadh, alongside potential Israeli concessions to the Palestinians. The Saudi and American calls for the Palestinians to gain benefits from any agreement are likely to be unpalatable for the right-wing government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu met with U.S. President Joe Biden yesterday, Wednesday, on the sidelines of the annual General Assembly meetings in New York.
Abbas also urged the United Nations to hold a conference to attempt to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, which collapsed in 2014. He stated, "In light of the deadlock facing the peace process due to Israeli policies, our only option is to ask you to hold an international peace conference." He added in his speech that the conference "may be the last opportunity to keep the two-state solution possible and to prevent the situation from deteriorating further."
Abbas called on the United Nations and its Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "to implement decisions to provide protection for the Palestinian people from the ongoing aggression of the occupation army and Israeli settlers."
