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Abbas Calls on Germany to Support Palestine's Full UN Membership

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, right, and Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, shake hands after a press conference after their talks in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, Aug.16, 2022. (AP)
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, right, and Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, shake hands after a press conference after their talks in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, Aug.16, 2022. (AP)
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Abbas Calls on Germany to Support Palestine's Full UN Membership

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, right, and Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, shake hands after a press conference after their talks in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, Aug.16, 2022. (AP)
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, right, and Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, shake hands after a press conference after their talks in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, Aug.16, 2022. (AP)

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas asked German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to recognize the Palestinian state and support its full membership in the United Nations.

Abbas met with Scholz in Berlin after arriving on an official visit to discuss bilateral relations, recent developments in the Palestinian territories, and the future of the political process.

The Palestinian News Agency (Wafa) said Abbas briefed the chancellor on Israeli violations against the Palestinian people, their Islamic and Christian properties and sanctities, and the unprecedented settlement acceleration and seizure of land.

They reviewed recent regional political developments and efforts to revive the peace process.

The meeting also discussed ways to protect the two-state solution by calling on the international community to stop the Israeli violations and recognize the state of Palestine and its full membership in the UN.

On Monday, Abbas arrived in the German capital as part of a Palestinian drive to obtain full UN membership.

Palestinian officials resorted to this option after efforts to advance a regional political process had failed.

It is also part of the political options discussed by the Palestinian leadership to confront Israeli crimes, including withdrawing recognition of Israel.

Palestine has been an observer member of the UN since November 29, 2012, but according to the UN Charter, obtaining full membership requires a Security Council resolution with the approval of nine member states, provided that none of the veto-holder states object.

Meanwhile, Permanent Representative of Palestine to the UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour announced the resumption of intense contacts and efforts with various UN delegations regarding Palestine's right to obtain full membership.

In an interview with "Voice of Palestine" radio, Mansour said a meeting would be held on Wednesday with the Non-Aligned Movement in the Security Council to discuss the initiative to accept Palestine as a full member state.

He noted that a Security Council meeting, chaired by China, will be held on August 26 to discuss the developments in the Palestinian territories.

Palestine is also preparing to participate in the Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, said Mansour.

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Arab World

UN: At Least 542 Killed in North Darfur in Past 3 Weeks

World Food Program (WFP) food assistance is unloaded in Tawila, where people displaced from El Fasher and Zamzam camp have arrived over the past week across four locations, in North Darfur, Sudan April 28, 2025. WFP/Mohamed Galal /Handout via REUTERS
World Food Program (WFP) food assistance is unloaded in Tawila, where people displaced from El Fasher and Zamzam camp have arrived over the past week across four locations, in North Darfur, Sudan April 28, 2025. WFP/Mohamed Galal /Handout via REUTERS
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UN: At Least 542 Killed in North Darfur in Past 3 Weeks

World Food Program (WFP) food assistance is unloaded in Tawila, where people displaced from El Fasher and Zamzam camp have arrived over the past week across four locations, in North Darfur, Sudan April 28, 2025. WFP/Mohamed Galal /Handout via REUTERS
World Food Program (WFP) food assistance is unloaded in Tawila, where people displaced from El Fasher and Zamzam camp have arrived over the past week across four locations, in North Darfur, Sudan April 28, 2025. WFP/Mohamed Galal /Handout via REUTERS

At least 542 civilians have been confirmed killed in Sudan's North Darfur region in the past three weeks, the United Nations said Thursday, warning the actual death toll was likely "much higher.”

"The horror unfolding in Sudan knows no bounds," UN rights chief Volker Turk said in a statement, referring to the country's ongoing civil war.

Darfur in particular has become a key battleground in the war that erupted on April 15, 2023 between the regular army, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), headed by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.

The war has left tens of thousands dead and triggered what aid agencies describe as the world's largest displacement and hunger crises.

The battle for El-Fasher, the last major city in Darfur to elude RSF control, has intensified in recent weeks as the paramilitaries have sought to compensate for their loss of the capital Khartoum last month.

According to AFP, Turk pointed to an attack three days ago by the RSF on El-Fasher and the Abu Shouk camp that killed at least 40 civilians.

"This brings the confirmed number of civilians killed in North Darfur to at least 542 in just the last three weeks," he said.

"The actual death toll is likely much higher."

He also cited "the ominous warning by the RSF of 'bloodshed' ahead of imminent battles with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and their associated armed movements."

"Everything must be done to protect civilians trapped amid dire conditions in and around El-Fasher."

Turk also highlighted "reports of extrajudicial executions in Khartoum state", which he described as "extremely disturbing".

"Horrific videos circulating on social media show at least 30 men in civilian clothing being rounded up and executed by armed men in RSF uniforms in Al-Salha in southern Omdurman," he said, adding that in a subsequent video, "an RSF field commander acknowledged the killings."

Those videos came after "shocking reports in recent weeks of the extrajudicial execution of dozens of people accused of collaborating with the RSF in southern Khartoum, allegedly committed by the Al-Baraa Brigade", a pro-SAF militia, Turk said.

"Deliberately taking the life of a civilian or anyone no longer directly taking part in hostilities is a war crime," he insisted.

The UN rights chief said he had "personally alerted both leaders of the RSF and SAF to the catastrophic human rights consequences of this war".

"These harrowing consequences are a daily, lived reality for millions of Sudanese. It is well past time for this conflict to stop."