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Opening summary: Abbas to address UN via video link shortly
The Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas will address the United Nations general assembly shortly as the US weighs whether to try to stop Israeli annexation of the West Bank, despite opposing him.
The speech by the veteran 89-year-old comes as a slew of western nations recognise the state of Palestine.
Donald Trump’s administration adamantly rejected statehood and, in a highly unusual step, barred Abbas and his senior aides from traveling to New York for the gathering of world leaders.
The general assembly overwhelmingly voted to let Abbas address the world body with a video message. We will be covering his speech here.
Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed not to allow a Palestinian state and far-right members of his cabinet have threatened to annex the West Bank in a bid to kill any prospect of true independence. The Israeli PM will address the general assembly tomorrow.
In other developments:
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Yemen’s President of the Presidential Leadership Council, Mohammed Al-Alimi, will address the general assembly after Abbas. The Saudi-backed PLC hold power in the south of the country but the Iran-backed Houthis control much of Yemen and are now locked in conflict with Israel.
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Activists in a flotilla seeking to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza said Wednesday that some of their boats were attacked by drones. The Global Sumud Flotilla said that “at least 13 explosions” were heard, while drones or aircraft dropped “unidentified objects” on at least 10 boats. No casualties were reported but there was damage to the vessels.
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Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is meeting Donald Trump at the White House. The Turkish president has been one of the world’s most vocal critics of Israel for its operations in Gaza. Colleagues on our US blog will be covering their talks.
