Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas has called upon the United Nations to sanction Israel over its “genocide” in Gaza, escalating his diplomatic offensive against Israel during an address at the UN World Urban Forum in Cairo.

Speaking before international delegates at the UN World Urban Forum in Cairo, Abbas demanded penalties against Israel for what he described as “systematic violations” of UN resolutions and charter obligations dating back to the country’s admission to the world body in 1949.

“Implementation of relevant U.N. resolutions, especially the recent General Assembly decision on the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion, along with granting Palestine full U.N. membership, are essential for achieving justice and stability,” Abbas said.

When the UN adopted Resolution 181 in 1947, proposing two separate states in the British Mandate territory, Arab nations unanimously opposed the partition plan and responded with military force against the fledgling Jewish state.

Abbas’s push for sanctions echoes recent statements by UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese, who advocated for Israel’s suspension from the world body, citing “violations of hundreds of resolutions” and “steady violation of international humanitarian law, human rights law, the Apartheid Convention, the Genocide Convention.”

Abbas has intensified his rhetoric against Israel in recent months. In a revealing exchange with Russian media outlet Russia Today, he reportedly stated, “We have an issue with the United States. They are the ones perpetrating everything. Who brought Zionism to this country? The colonizers.”

The Palestinian Authority is in ongoing discussions with Hamas regarding the “day after” in Gaza. According to Ynet, Hamas has agreed to cede civilian administration of the Gaza Strip to the PA; however, a senior Palestinian Authority official expressed skepticism about the proposed arrangement.

“The PA manages civil affairs in the Gaza Strip anyway – education, health, the water and energy authority,” the official said. “For Hamas, this is a headache, so it will hand it over to the PA in order to continue to control security and military.””