RAMALLAH, Palestine

The Palestinian Authority (PA) has said that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ speech at the UN -- slated for Thursday -- could be the “last chance for peace” in the region.

“President Abbas’s speech at the UN General Assembly on Thursday will be a watershed; it will pave the way for a new way of handling the many challenges facing our people,” PA spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina said in a Tuesday statement carried by Palestine’s official WAFA news agency.

“The president’s speech will include proposals for a comprehensive national strategy that will have a profound impact on events in the region and the world,” he said.

Abu Rudeina went on to assert that without Jerusalem and the holy places, there could be no “just and lasting” peace in the Middle East.

“Without Jerusalem [as the capital of an independent Palestinian state] there can be no solution,” he warned.

“The entire region will remain in a cycle of endless instability and wars,” he added.

According to Abu Rudeina, the Palestinian leadership will “continue to reject dubious deals and proposals while remaining committed to our national principles, regardless of the sacrifices involved”.

On Thursday, Abbas will speak before the UN General Assembly in New York, where he is expected to address the stalled Middle East peace process and a proposed U.S. Middle East peace plan.