Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas delivered a keynote speech to the Turkish Parliament on Thursday, outlining bold plans amidst ongoing tensions in the region.
Abbas announced his intention to lead the entire PA leadership to Gaza, calling for international support to ensure their safe passage. He also urged world leaders and the UN Secretary-General to visit Gaza themselves.
NEW: Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas has been given a standing ovation by all members of the Turkish Parliament as he enters the grand hall to give an address.
Erdogan is in the gallery. The speech scheduled in response to Israeli PM Netanyahu’s address to the US Congress pic.twitter.com/87HSZCwaeh
— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) August 15, 2024
Speaking at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in Ankara, alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Abbas revealed plans to visit Jerusalem following his Gaza visit.
The PA Chairman strongly criticized Israel’s actions, accusing the Jewish State of attempting to “eradicate the Palestinian presence” through what he termed “genocide in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem.” He asserted that such efforts would ultimately fail.
He proclaimed, “I come to you carrying the pains and hopes of our Palestinian people, who have endured great suffering and a continuing catastrophe since 1948, facing the crimes of the occupation and the absence of international justice, while holding steadfast to their land, homeland, sacred sites, and national rights.”
Turkey’s First Lady Emine Erdogan tweeted: “As Turkey, we will continue to be the voice of Palestine against those who value their own interests more than the life of an innocent child. Because we know that the victory of Palestine is the victory of a people who do not bow down to oppression, and of every person who stands by justice.”
ABBAS IS THE PROBLEM
Mahmoud Abbas, who used to be considered the future leader of the Palestinian state, is now seen by Western countries and their allies as an obstacle to future progress in the Gaza Strip as well as Judea and Samaria.
Whenever Abbas, better known by his nom de guerre Abu Mazen, is asked who he wants as his successor, the 88-year-old successor of the late Yasser Arafat gives his usual answer: for now, nobody.
His father lived to be over 100, so why worry now about a replacement? An Egyptian official who worked with Abbas said in February, “He is convinced that he has another 20 years.”
Abbas has ruled the Palestinian Authority as the leader of Fatah, its largest political party, for almost two decades, and has not faced a general election since 2006. His poll numbers are at rock bottom, with 90% of PA Arabs calling for his resignation, and saying his PA is ineffective and corrupt.
His insistence on remaining in power poses an obstacle to the plans for Gaza of the US and its Arab allies, who want the Palestinian Authority to rule the Strip instead of Hamas after the war.
ABBAS IN MUNICH
According to information from the Israeli government, Abbas was one of the founders of the terrorist organization Black September. Ehud Yaari wrote in 1973 that Salah Khalaf and Abbas were responsible for activating Fatah’s intelligence in special operations called “Black September” without consulting the members of the Fatah leadership. Muhammad Odeh (Abu Dawud), the head of the Black September organization and the planner of the massacre of the Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics, claims in his autobiographical book that Abbas was among the only ones who shared the secret of the attack on the Olympic village and took care of financing the operation.
