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Source: https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/22886/palestinian-authority-reforms
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas Tells the UN: Reforms Are Complete
(Gatestone Institute) Khaled Abu Toameh - In a pre-recorded speech played at the UN General Assembly on Sept. 24, Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas claimed, "We have completed the national reform program to which we committed ourselves before our people and the international community." While Abbas referred to a new, needs-based welfare system, the U.S. State Department said on Sept. 16, 2026, that the PA was "continuing to pay stipends to terrorists and to glorify acts of terrorism and terrorists in public pronouncements and school textbooks." The State Department added that the Palestinian Authority had once again failed to live up to its commitments to the U.S., including those concerning terrorism and reform. Should PA reforms be judged by what Abbas says at the UN, or by what is actually happening on the ground? The evidence points to a substantial gap between the PA's promises and its record. If the international community is serious about bringing democracy and accountability to the Palestinians, it should demand verifiable reforms.