United Nations, Sep 27 (IANS): Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas received a long round of applause as he addressed the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), insisting that "we will not leave, Palestine is our homeland," and "if anyone were to leave it would be the occupier".
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 on Thursday.
"Stop this crime. Stop it now. Stop killing children and women. Stop the genocide. Stop sending weapons to Israel. This madness cannot continue. The entire world is responsible for what is happening to our people," Abbas 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".
"We call for sanctions against Israel. Israel does not deserve to be part of this organisation. I don't know how the US can insist on depriving us of our rights," the Palestinian President said.
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.
"Palestine will be free, despite anyone who objects. Our people will live in the land of their fathers and grandfathers... The occupation will end," Abbas concluded.
Meanwhile, 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 US, 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 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 favourably".
The resolution was adopted with 143 votes in favour and nine against, including the US and Israel, while 25 countries abstained. China voted for the resolution.
The resolution states, "The State of Palestine... should therefore be admitted to membership" and "recommends that the Security Council reconsider the matter favourably".