(JNS.org) Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas vowed to stop abiding by the 1993 Oslo Accords in a speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, Sept. 30, accusing Israel of halting the withdrawal of its forces from disputed territories as stipulated by the peace agreement. “As long as Israel refuses to commit to the agreements signed with us, which render us an authority without real powers, and as long as Israel refuses to cease settlement activities and to release of the fourth group of Palestinian prisoners in accordance with our agreements, they leave us no choice but to insist that we will not remain the only ones committed to the implementation of these agreements, while Israel continuously violates them,” Abbas said.

Israel did unilaterally withdraw from the Gaza Strip in 2005. Since then, the terror group Hamas has taken over control of the coastal enclave, leading to thousands of rockets being launched at the Jewish state. The latest such rocket was intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system over the Israeli city of Ashdod on the same day as Abbas’ speech. Israeli officials have expressed concern that a similar situation could arise in Judea and Samaria should Israel withdraw from that region completely.

Abbas also accused Israel of exacerbating tensions on the Temple Mount holy site, which is administered by the Islamic Waqf, a Muslim trust overseen by Jordan that limits non-Muslim visitation and bans Jewish prayer. Jewish activist groups have been calling for greater Jewish access to the Temple Mount. “In contrast to the Palestinians, Israel is strictly maintaining the status quo on the Temple Mount and is committed to continuing to do so in accordance with the agreements between us and the Jordanians and the Waqf,” Netanyahu said.