STORY: Palestinian leader Abbas urges efforts to stop Israeli occupation, "genocide" at UNGA
SHOOTING TIME: Sept. 26, 2024
DATELINE: Sept. 27, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:34
LOCATION: UN headquarters
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. wide shot of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas walking to rostrum
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic/English): MAHMOUD ABBAS, Palestinian President
3. various of Abbas speaking
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic/English): MAHMOUD ABBAS, Palestinian President
5. wide shot of Abbas speaking
6. mid shot of delegate
7. wide shot of delegates applauding
8. wide shot of Abbas leaving

STORYLINE:

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas received a long round of applause as he addressed the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Thursday, insisting that "we will not leave, Palestine is our homeland," and "if anyone were to leave it would be the occupier."

SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic/English): MAHMOUD ABBAS, Palestinian President
"We will not leave. We will not leave. We will not leave. Palestine is our homeland. It is the land of our fathers, our grandfathers. It will remain ours. And if anyone were to leave, it would be the occupying usurpers."

He proceeded to accuse Israel of perpetrating a "full-scale war of genocide," dismissing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's claim that Israel didn't kill civilians in Gaza. "I ask you, who is it then that killed more than 15,000 children?" he said.

During his speech, Abbas called on the international community to impose sanctions on Israel and also its exclusion from the United Nations following the "genocide in Gaza."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic/English): MAHMOUD ABBAS, Palestinian President
"The international community must immediately impose sanctions on Israel. Israel, which refuses to implement United Nations resolutions, does not deserve to be a member in this international organization. I don't understand how the United States could insist on opposing our people, insist on depriving us of our legitimate rights to freedom and independence."

He also touched upon the situation with settlers in the West Bank, specifying that 600,000 settlers currently live there. "We want ICJ (the International Court of Justice) ruling on Israel to be implemented," he noted.

In the meantime, Netanyahu instructed his military to keep fighting "with full force" on Thursday, as a high-stakes international diplomatic effort was underway to pause the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel.

Netanyahu is heading to New York for the UNGA, even as members of his government dismissed a ceasefire proposal that the United States, European allies and several Arab nations put forward. Israel's military carried out new strikes in Lebanon, including one in Beirut, the capital, that targeted the commander of Hezbollah's drone unit.

The UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution on May 10 supporting the Palestinian bid to become a full UN member and recommending that the Security Council "reconsider the matter favorably." The resolution was adopted with 143 votes in favor and nine against, including the United States and Israel, while 25 countries abstained. China voted for the resolution.

Xinhua News Agency correspondent reporting from UN headquarters.
(XHTV)