Abbas says Hamas must 'surrender weapons to legitimate authority' under Arab plan to end war

Egypt Today

18-05-2025

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas delivers a speech at the 34th Arab Summit in Baghdad, May 18, 2025 – Still image
CAIRO – 18 May 2025: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has urged the adoption of an Arab plan to end the war in Gaza and achieve peace. This plan emphasizes empowering the Palestinian Authority to take on civilian and security responsibilities in the enclave.
Speaking at the 34th Arab Summit in Baghdad on Saturday, Abbas outlined that the plan requires Hamas and other factions to "surrender their weapons to the legitimate authority."
It also includes restructuring the Palestinian security apparatus in Gaza within professional basis and with Arab and global assistance.
During the ongoing war in Gaza, Israel has repeatedly called for Hamas to disarm as a condition for a ceasefire, a demand that the Palestinian movement has deemed as a "red line."
While Hamas has welcomed the proposed formation of a community support committee that comprises independent technocrats to rule Gaza, it said it will not surrender its weapons as long as the Israeli occupation persists.
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has called for global pressure on Israel to 'halt the massacre in Gaza' as he addressed the 34th Arab League summit held in Baghdad on Saturday#Egypt #Africa #MENAhttps://t.co/NrqTcSAKuu — Egypt Today Magazine (@EgyptTodayMag) May 18, 2025
'Arab Plan to Achieve Peace'
During the summit, Abbas affirmed the need for hosting an international conference in Cairo to secure funding and implement the reconstruction plan for Gaza.
Abbas said the Arab plan includes a permanent ceasefire, the release of all captives and prisoners, the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, and the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from the strip.
He called for a comprehensive truce and a halt to unilateral Israeli actions that violate international law, such as settlement construction, annexation, demolition, and displacement.
He emphasized the necessity of respecting the historical and legal status of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem under Hashemite custodianship.
Abbas stressed the need for launching a political process confined within a specific timeframe to implement the two-state solution, establish a Palestinian state, and achieve international recognition in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.
UN Secretary General António Guterres called for the world to uphold the two-state solution to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as he addressed the 34th Arab League summit held in Baghdad on Saturday#Egypt #Africa #MENA https://t.co/pkYGHCbpi9 — Egypt Today Magazine (@EgyptTodayMag) May 18, 2025
He reaffirmed the Palestinian Authority's readiness to hold presidential and legislative elections next year, contingent upon suitable conditions in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem.
Abbas added that the Palestinian Authority is committed to reforming state institutions and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).
'We will continue working to unify the Palestinian ranks based on recognizing the PLO as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, alongside its political program, international legitimacy, and the principle of one system, one law, and one legitimate weapon,' he stated.
Arab Summit Meets Amid Israeli Escalation
The Arab leaders convened in Baghdad to address escalating tensions in the region, including the Gaza war, ongoing Israeli violence in the West Bank, and crises in Yemen, Sudan, Syria, Lebanon, and Libya.
This meeting comes amid intensified Israeli attacks on Gaza, which have killed hundreds of Palestinian over recent days, despite ongoing negotiations in Qatar for a ceasefire.
The Arab summit called for global pressure on Israel to halt the bloodshed in Gaza and to facilitate urgent and unhindered aid deliveries.
It also urged political, financial, and legal support for the joint Arab-Islamic plan for early recovery and reconstruction in Gaza.
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President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said, on Saturday that even if Israel succeeds in normalizing relations with all Arab states, a lasting, just, and comprehensive peace in the Middle East will remain unattainable without the establishment of a Palestinian… — Egypt Today Magazine (@EgyptTodayMag) May 17, 2025
The $53 billion Arab plan for Gaza, approved by Arab and Muslim leaders in March, aims to provide permanent housing for the population, many of whom have been displaced by the war, while establishing essential services and vital infrastructure, including an airport.
The plan ensures that Palestinian residents remain on their land during the reconstruction process, in contrast to Israeli-US initiatives that aim at permanently displacing residents from the enclave.
Politically, an administrative committee composed of Palestinian professionals and independent technocrats is set to govern Gaza, currently under Hamas control, until the Palestinian Authority can reestablish authority in the strip.
The war in Gaza has resulted in over 53,000 deaths, predominantly among women and children, according to local health officials.