Abbas: ‘Israel must assume all of its responsibilities as an occupying power’

In the last week or so, New York City has played host to a number of significant officials: Pope Francis, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin. On Wednesday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas gave a speech to the UN general assembly, noting that Palestinians “cannot continue to be bound” by the Oslo Peace Accords since “Israel continuously violates them.”

After Abbas’s speech, the flag of the State of Palestine was raised outside the UN building, a symbolic gesture that was unanimously approved earlier this month.

Watch Abbas’s speech below, or read the full text here.

Related: Dear Mahmoud Abbas: Do You Have a Vision For the Future of Palestine?