France disclosed on Tuesday that Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas has called for Hamas to surrender its weapons and advocated for the deployment of international forces to safeguard Palestinians.
In a letter sent on Monday, June 9, to French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who will co-chair a UN conference this month focused on a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, Abbas detailed critical steps he believes are necessary to halt the Gaza conflict and foster lasting peace in the region.
Abbas wrote that “Hamas will no longer rule Gaza and must hand over its weapons and military capabilities to the Palestinian Security Forces.” He expressed readiness to “invite Arab and international forces to be deployed as part of a stabilisation/protection mission with a (UN) Security Council mandate.” The upcoming UN conference aims to revive the two-state solution, given Israel’s control over significant portions of Palestinian territories.
Abbas emphasized his willingness to “conclude within a clear and binding timeline, and with international support, supervision and guarantees, a peace agreement that ends the Israeli occupation and resolves all outstanding and final status issues.” He also demanded that “Hamas has to immediately release all hostages and captives.” The French presidency, in a statement, praised these “concrete and unprecedented commitments, demonstrating a real willingness to move towards the implementation of the two-state solution.”
Macron, who has voiced determination to recognize a Palestinian state while stipulating conditions like Hamas’s “demilitarisation,” welcomed Abbas’s proposals. In his letter, Abbas reiterated his pledge to reform the Palestinian Authority and announced plans to hold presidential and general elections “within a year” under international oversight. He clarified that “the Palestinian State should be the sole provider of security on its territory, but has no intention to be a militarised State.”
France has consistently supported a two-state solution, particularly following the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israel. However, officially recognizing a Palestinian state would represent a significant shift in French policy, potentially straining relations with Israel, which views such actions by foreign governments as premature.
What you should know
Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas has demanded that Hamas relinquish its weapons and cede Gaza governance to Palestinian Security Forces, while calling for UN-mandated international forces to protect Palestinians.
In a letter to Macron and Mohammed bin Salman, he outlined steps for a two-state solution, including elections within a year and a peace deal with international guarantees.
France hailed the commitments, but recognizing a Palestinian state risks tensions with Israel, reflecting broader diplomatic challenges akin to Nigeria’s mediation efforts in regional conflicts.
