Abbas Calls for Unified Palestinian State, Urges Hamas Disarmament at UN Summit

During a UN General Assembly session focused on a two-state solution, Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas emphatically called for terror group Hamas and its factions to relinquish their arms to the Palestinian Authority. Abbas asserted that the Palestinian state is the sole rightful entity to maintain governance and security in Gaza.

Speaking via video link, Abbas reinforced the vision for a unified Palestinian state, governed by one law and a single legitimate security force. He stated, "The state of Palestine is the only entity eligible to assume full responsibility for governance and security in Gaza," emphasizing the necessity for Hamas to play no role in governance.

Abbas praised the UN General Assembly's adoption of the New York Declaration, which he views as the start of an irreversible journey towards resolving the humanitarian crisis and the Israeli occupation. The declaration envisages a Palestinian state, with East Jerusalem as its capital, coexisting peacefully alongside Israel. He stressed the importance of a ceasefire and called for humanitarian access, hostages release, and reconstruction efforts for Gaza and the West Bank.

Abbas condemned the Israeli occupation's crimes and actions by Hamas on October 7th, 2023, while denouncing ongoing Israeli settlement policies. He described the "greater Israel" narrative as a threat to international peace. The special session saw announcements from various leaders, including France's formal recognition of Palestinian statehood by President Emmanuel Macron.

(With inputs from agencies.)