Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud AbbasFlash 90

Congresswoman Nita Lowey (Westchester/Rockland), Ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee and the State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, condemned on Wednesday what she termed the “provocative” declarations made by Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas in his speech before the United Nations General Assembly.

“Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ provocative declarations today at the United Nations threaten to further destabilize the region and risk years of efforts to bring about an independent Palestinian state, existing side-by-side, in peace and security, with Israel,” she said.

“I am extremely disappointed by President Abbas’ abandonment of direct negotiations and his turning to the international community to make the tough decisions that he himself won’t make,” added Lowey. 

“Such efforts move the goal of a lasting peace even further away. A retreat from long-standing agreements with Israel simply will not turn the aspirations of the Palestinian people into a reality,” she continued.  

“Intransigence should not be rewarded.  Nor should the international community attempt to impose a timeframe or borders on a future Palestinian state.  A resolution to all outstanding issues, however tough, can only be resolved through direct negotiations with Israel,” said Lowey.

“The United States must continue to stand firmly in support of a negotiated settlement that brings about two states for two people.” 

In the speech, Abbas declared that the PA is no longer committed to the 1994 Oslo Accords, while condemning Israeli "settlements" in Judea and Samaria, as well as the blockade of Gaza.

Earlier on Wednesday, sources close to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said he will use his own speech at the UN headquarters on Thursday to decisively attack Abbas's speech directly, exposing what the sources call the lies and incitement in Abbas's address.

Netanyahu's speech will also attack international hypocrisy in the treatment of Israel, according to the sources.