Palestinian President Calls for Salvaging Two-State Solution

Palestinian President during his speech at the UN General Assembly (AFP)
Palestinian President during his speech at the UN General Assembly (AFP)
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Palestinian President Calls for Salvaging Two-State Solution

Palestinian President during his speech at the UN General Assembly (AFP)
Palestinian President during his speech at the UN General Assembly (AFP)

The Palestinian President called on the United Nations General Assembly to undertake the necessary arrangements to convene a peace conference, which may be the "last opportunity to salvage the two-state solution."

Abbas asserted Thursday the need to "prevent the situation from deteriorating more seriously, threatening the security and stability of our region and the entire world."

Speaking at the 78th session of the General Assembly, Abbas stated that Israel is systematically destroying the two-state solution, calling on the UN to take deterrent measures against Israel until it fulfills its obligations.

He pointed out that Palestine would persist in pursuing accountability and justice at the relevant international bodies against Tel Aviv because of the continued Israeli occupation of the land and against everyone who had a role in the catastrophe.

- Commemorating the Nakba

Abbas also called to criminalize the denial of Palestinian Nakba and designate May 15 of each year as an international day to commemorate its anniversary and the lives of about 950,000 Palestinians who were killed in massacres committed by Zionist gangs and whose villages were demolished and who were forcibly displaced from their homes.

Abbas urged UN Member States, each in its national capacity, to take practical steps based on the relevant resolutions of international legitimacy and international law.

He also called on the states that have yet to recognize Palestine to declare their recognition and for Palestine to be admitted to full membership in the UN.

- A Yemeni warning

The Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, warned against any complacency from the international community or dealing with the Houthi militia as de facto authorities, which will lead to eradicating this behavior.

He emphasized that such an approach will perpetuate repression and the violation of public freedoms.

"We reaffirm the need to have the right guarantees for peace ... pursuant to the Saudi initiative," based on justice and fairness, he continued.

Any peace agreement or trust-building measures should be targeted towards alleviating the suffering of the Yemeni people.

- Lebanese Challenges

The proceedings of the General Assembly continued until late Wednesday night, during which Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati delivered his speech.

Mikati looked forward to the Lebanese Parliament exercising its sovereign rule by electing a president in the coming period, a head of state around whom the Lebanese would unite and who would enshrine the return of the republic.

He emphasized Lebanon's unique cross-border challenges with neighboring Syria, criticizing the international community's inability to find sustainable solutions to the displacement of Syrian refugees.

The Prime Minister argued that one of Lebanon's primary challenges was filling the presidential void, along with instituting reforms needed to achieve economic recovery, ease the financial crisis, and promote institutional and political stability in the country.

"Twelve years into the Syrian crisis, Lebanon is still bearing the burden of successive waves of displacement, with far-reaching economic and social repercussions on all aspects of life, thus threatening Lebanon's very existence," he said.

Mikati also issued renewed criticism of Israel's continued occupation of southern Lebanon, daily violations of Lebanese sovereignty, and its violation of Security Council resolution 1701.

- Iran's Nuclear Program

Meanwhile, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi informed reporters in New York that relations with the US could progress if President Joe Biden's administration showed a willingness to return to the nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) of 2015.

Raisi considered that the first step would be easing sanctions.

The President stated that US officials have reached out through several channels expressing their desire for dialogue, but Iran believes tangible actions should back this.

Iran's nuclear program is purely for peaceful purposes and is used in agriculture and the oil and gas infrastructure, he asserted, denying reports suggesting that Iran has increased enrichment levels.

When asked about IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, Raisi confirmed they had spoken in Tehran earlier in March, stressing that his country cooperates with the agency.

He condemned the European countries' (E3) announcement to maintain sanctions on Iran, originally scheduled to end in October, under the 2015 nuclear deal.

- Illegal Migration

Italy's far-right prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, said she will not allow the country to become "Europe's refugee camp" after thousands of people seeking refuge landed on its shores.

- Libya's ordeal

The Libyan Minister of Youth of the Government of National Unity (GNU), Fathallah al-Zeni, also delivered a speech on behalf of the Head of the Presidential Council, Mohammed Menfi, who apologized for not participating due to the floods that struck the eastern regions of Libya.

Zeni indicated that Libyans and the world woke up on Sunday, September 10, to a terrible scene and a major disaster in Derna, as thousands died or went missing.

He emphasized that the size of the disaster exceeded all local capabilities.



UN Condemns Israel's Moves against Agency for Palestinian Refugees

UNRWA center targeted by Israeli shelling in northern Gaza (DPA)
UNRWA center targeted by Israeli shelling in northern Gaza (DPA)
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UN Condemns Israel's Moves against Agency for Palestinian Refugees

UNRWA center targeted by Israeli shelling in northern Gaza (DPA)
UNRWA center targeted by Israeli shelling in northern Gaza (DPA)

The United Nations warned Tuesday that recent actions by Israel against the UN agency for Palestinian refugees risked depriving millions of people of basic services such as education and healthcare.

Israel's parliament passed new legislation on Monday formally stripping the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) of diplomatic immunity, and barring Israeli companies from providing water or electricity to the agency's institutions, AFP reported.

According to UNRWA, the legislation also grants the Israeli government the authority to expropriate the agency's properties in East Jerusalem, including its headquarters and main vocational training center.

UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini condemned the legislation as "outrageous", decrying it on social media as "part of an ongoing, systematic campaign to discredit UNRWA and thereby obstruct the core role that the agency plays providing human-development assistance and services to Palestine refugees".

Filippo Grandi, the outgoing head of the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and a former UNRWA chief, also criticised the move as "very unfortunate".

In an interview with AFP, he highlighted that UNRWA, unlike other UN agencies, provides basic public services such as education and healthcare to the millions of registered Palestinian refugees it serves across Gaza and the West Bank, as well as in Lebanon, Jordan and Syria.

"If you deprive those people of those services... then you had better find a substitute," he said, warning: "I think it would be very difficult."

"At the moment, there is a great risk that millions of people will be deprived of basic services if UNRWA is further deprived of space to work, and resources to work."

Israel has been ratcheting up pressure on UNRWA over the past two years.

It has accused the agency of providing cover for Hamas militants, claiming that some UNRWA employees took part in the militant group's October 7, 2023 assault on Israel, which sparked the war in Gaza.

A series of UN-linked internal and external investigations found some "neutrality-related issues" at UNRWA, but stressed Israel had not provided conclusive evidence for its headline allegation.

Grandi criticised the torrent of accusations that have swirled around the agency.

"UNRWA is a very indispensable organization in the Middle East," he said.

"Contrary to much of the frankly baseless rhetoric that we have heard in the past couple of years, UNRWA is a force for peace and stability," he added.

"In a region in which you need every bit of stability and efforts towards peace, it would be really irresponsible to let such an important organization decline further."


Syria Imposes Night Curfew on Port City of Latakia

People watch as Syrian Security forces are deployed after clashes erupted during a protest in the city of Latakia, Syria, 28 December 2025. EPA/AHMAD FALLAHA
People watch as Syrian Security forces are deployed after clashes erupted during a protest in the city of Latakia, Syria, 28 December 2025. EPA/AHMAD FALLAHA
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Syria Imposes Night Curfew on Port City of Latakia

People watch as Syrian Security forces are deployed after clashes erupted during a protest in the city of Latakia, Syria, 28 December 2025. EPA/AHMAD FALLAHA
People watch as Syrian Security forces are deployed after clashes erupted during a protest in the city of Latakia, Syria, 28 December 2025. EPA/AHMAD FALLAHA

Syrian authorities imposed an overnight curfew in the coastal city of Latakia on Tuesday.

Authorities announced a "curfew in Latakia city, effective from 5:00pm (1400 GMT) on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, until 6:00am (0300 GMT) on Wednesday, December 31, 2025".


Jailed Turkish Kurd Leader Calls on Government to Broker Deal for Syrian Kurds

(FILES) Supporters display a poster depicting jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) Abdullah Ocalan, after he called on the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) to disarm and dissolve itself in Diyarbakir, southeastern Türkiye, on February 27, 2025. (Photo by Yasin AKGUL / AFP)
(FILES) Supporters display a poster depicting jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) Abdullah Ocalan, after he called on the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) to disarm and dissolve itself in Diyarbakir, southeastern Türkiye, on February 27, 2025. (Photo by Yasin AKGUL / AFP)
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Jailed Turkish Kurd Leader Calls on Government to Broker Deal for Syrian Kurds

(FILES) Supporters display a poster depicting jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) Abdullah Ocalan, after he called on the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) to disarm and dissolve itself in Diyarbakir, southeastern Türkiye, on February 27, 2025. (Photo by Yasin AKGUL / AFP)
(FILES) Supporters display a poster depicting jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) Abdullah Ocalan, after he called on the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) to disarm and dissolve itself in Diyarbakir, southeastern Türkiye, on February 27, 2025. (Photo by Yasin AKGUL / AFP)

Jailed Turkish Kurd leader Abdullah Ocalan said Tuesday that it was "crucial" for Türkiye’s government to broker a peace deal between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Damascus government.

Clashes between Syrian forces and the SDF have cast doubt over a deal to integrate the group's fighters into the army, which was due to take effect by the end of the year, reported AFP.

Ocalan, founder of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) group, called on Türkiye to help ensure implementation of the deal announced in March between the SDF and the Syrian government.

"It is essential for Türkiye to play a role of facilitator, constructively and aimed at dialogue," he said in a message released by Türkiye's pro-Kurdish DEM party.

"This is crucial for both regional peace and to strengthen its own internal peace," Ocalan, who has been jailed for 26 years, added.

"The fundamental demand made in the agreement signed on March 10 between the SDF and the government in Damascus is for a democratic political model permitting (Syria's) peoples to govern together," he added.

"This approach also includes the principle of democratic integration, negotiable with the central authorities. The implementation of the March 10 agreement will facilitate and accelerate that process."

The backbone of the US-backed SDF is the YPG, a Kurdish group seen by Türkiye as an extension of the PKK.

Türkiye and Syria both face long-running unrest in their Kurdish-majority regions, which span their shared border.

In Türkiye, the PKK agreed this year at Ocalan's urging to end its four-decade armed struggle.

In Syria, Sharaa has agreed to merge the Kurds' semi-autonomous administration into the central government, but deadly clashes and a series of differences have held up implementation of the deal.

The SDF is calling for a decentralized government, which Sharaa rejects.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, whose country sees Kurdish fighters across the border as a threat, urged the SDF last week not to be an "obstacle" to stability.

Syrian Kurdish leader Mazloum Abdi said Thursday that "all efforts" were being made to prevent the collapse of talks.