RAMALLAH, February 14, 2026 (WAFA) – Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa, representing President Mahmoud Abbas, participated on Saturday in the 39th Summit of the African Union in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, amidst broad participation from African heads of state and government.
Delivering a speech on behalf of President Abbas, Mustafa conveyed the President's greetings and sincere wishes for the success of the Summit, expressing hope that would achieve its objectives in advancing prosperity, stability, and sustainable development to the African continent and its struggling peoples.
In his address, Mustafa said on behalf of President Abbas, "This summit comes at a pivotal moment in the history of the Palestinian people, who continue to suffer from a historical injustice that reached unprecedented levels in the war on Gaza."
He also affirmed, "Millions watched this war live, and the number of victims exceeded 70,000 Palestinian citizens. This was accompanied by Israel's use of starvation as a weapon of war, in addition to its destruction of 85% of the infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, in clear violation of international law."
Mustafa said that the State of Palestine had agreed to the U.S proposal regarding the Gaza war and to Security Council Resolution 2803, which begins with a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and ends with the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and the independence of their state after a two-year transitional period."
He further pointed out that the decision was driven by the belief that the war must end and humanitarian relief and reconstruction efforts must proceed.
Despite the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, he said that Israel continues to violate the agreement. Over 500 Palestinians have been killed since its declaration, threatening the agreement's sustainability and completely undermining the implementation of its second phase.”
Mustafa acknowledged the mediation efforts led by the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey.
He added that "the situation in the West Bank mirrors the same approach Palestinians face in Gaza. Israel continues to confiscate Palestinian lands, expand illegal settlements, and protect colonist attacks and terrorism. In the past month alone, terrorist colonist gangs committed 1,872 attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank."
The Prime Minister also explained that Israel continues to undermine the Palestinian government by withholding tax and customs revenues collected on its behalf, as stipulated in the Economic Protocol of the Oslo Accords signed by both parties. "The withheld funds have now exceeded $4.5 billion. Consequently, resulting in the loss of approximately 70 percent of the Palestinian government’s income."
"What government in the world can continue to function while losing about two-thirds of its financial resources?," he questioned.
The Prime Minister congratulated the President of Burundi, Évariste Ndayishimiye, on assuming the African Union presidency for 2026, and thanked João Lourenço for his leadership during the previous term. He also highlighted the depth of historic ties between Palestine and Africa, emphasizing shared values rooted in anti-colonial struggle, the right to self-determination, and opposition to all forms of dependency.
"We look forward to a future built on development leading to sustainable development, the exchange of expertise and benefits, and the achievement of prosperity, economic integration, and the strengthening of bonds of friendship and mutual benefit among our peoples."
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