Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas delivered a firm message to the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, pressing for international recognition of a Palestinian state while decisively ruling out any role for Hamas in future governance.
Speaking remotely after being denied a U.S. visa, the 89-year-old leader emphasized disarmament and moderation as the path forward. He insisted that Hamas and other armed groups surrender their weapons to the Palestinian Authority and rejected any association between his people’s struggle and antisemitism.
“Hamas will not have a role in governance. Their weapons must be placed under the authority of the Palestinian National Authority,” Abbas declared to applause from delegates.
Abbas also distanced himself from the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel, calling it an act that neither reflected the Palestinian people nor their pursuit of independence. While condemning the violence, he described the ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza as “one of the darkest humanitarian tragedies of the modern era.”
Call for International Oversight
Abbas proposed an interim arrangement in which the Palestinian Authority would assume administrative responsibility for Gaza. This, he argued, would pave the way for reforms and ensure stability until broader negotiations could advance.
The proposal aligns with parts of a French plan now under discussion, which envisions an international stabilization force in Gaza and a gradual transition of security control to a restructured Palestinian Authority.
Divisions Among Global Powers
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quickly rejected the notion of Palestinian statehood, asserting that recognitions by Western nations “do not obligate Israel.” U.S. President Donald Trump has consistently supported Netanyahu’s hard line, though French President Emmanuel Macron signaled that Washington and European capitals share at least one common stance: opposing unilateral annexation.
Behind closed doors, Trump reportedly floated a 21-point plan for ending the conflict to Arab and Islamic leaders, blending Israeli security guarantees with regional concerns. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto went so far as to offer 20,000 troops to support any stabilization mission.
The Road Ahead
For Abbas, whose authority remains limited to parts of the West Bank under the Oslo Accords, the speech was a chance to reclaim diplomatic ground. With Western states increasingly divided over recognition, and Israel adamant in its opposition, the Palestinian leader sought to project both responsibility and restraint.
Netanyahu is expected to deliver Israel’s counter-message at the UN General Assembly on Friday, ensuring the debate over statehood and Gaza’s future will remain center stage in New York.
