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The Hindu
a few seconds ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Hamas-led factions say Palestinian resistance will not stop until ‘occupation' ends, in response to New York declaration
Palestinian resistance will not stop until "the occupation" ends and an independent, fully sovereign state with Jerusalem as its capital is established, Hamas-led factions said on Thursday in response to "the New York" declaration calling for the group to lay down the arms. A declaration issued on Tuesday by Saudi Arabia and France, backed by Egypt, Qatar and the Arab League, called for Hamas to disarm and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority, which they say should rule across all Palestinian territories. Saudi Arabia and France are seeking further global support for the declaration outlining steps towards implementing a two-state solution. )
New York Times
3 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Times
Arab States Call for Hamas to Disarm Amid Push for a Palestinian State
The world's Arab countries for the first time have joined unanimously in the call for Hamas to lay down its weapons, release all hostages and end its rule of the Gaza Strip, conditions that they said could help the establishment of a Palestinian state. The surprise declaration, endorsed on Tuesday by the 22 member nations of the Arab League, also condemned Hamas's Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, which set off the devastating war in Gaza. The statement came at a United Nations conference in New York on a two-state solution to end the decades-long conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. 'In the context of ending the war in Gaza, Hamas must end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority, with international engagement and support, in line with the objectives of a sovereign and independent Palestinian state,' said the declaration. It was also signed by all 27 European Union states and 17 other countries. The declaration called for the deployment of 'a temporary international stabilization mission,' invited by the Palestinian Authority, which administers part of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and 'under the aegis of the United Nations.' Many Arab leaders have working relations with Hamas and rule over populations that are deeply committed to the Palestinian cause. That has made them reluctant to break publicly with the group and to normalize relations with Israel, despite pressure from Western allies like the United States. Qatar hosts Hamas's political office and some of its political leaders, and has acted as a mediator between the group and both Israel and the United States. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Deccan Herald
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
Hamas-led factions say Palestinian resistance will not stop until 'occupation' ends
A declaration issued on Tuesday by Saudi Arabia and France, backed by Egypt, Qatar and the Arab League, called for Hamas to disarm and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority, which they say should rule across all Palestinian territories.
Telegraph
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Even the Arab world is no longer reticent about the threat of Hamas
In a historic first, all 22 members of the Arab League called on Hamas to lay down its arms and end its rule in Gaza. In fact, despite their public condemnations during this war, most Arab countries have been on Israel's side and against Hamas since the start. They recognise the dangers posed to their own countries by Hamas, a proxy of Iran and offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, both of which represent existential threats to them. Hence Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the UAE helped defend Israel against Iranian missile and drone attacks last year. Some Arab countries have also provided other forms of military support to Israel during its war on Hamas, although these have been very much under the radar. While they recognise the security benefits Israel brings, none of that means that after decades of aggression against the Jewish state, Arab countries are now in love with it. Indeed, the New York Declaration signed yesterday at the UN, which condemned Hamas, was also sharply critical of Israel for its conduct in the war and actions in the West Bank. The declaration was made during a ministerial-level conference led by France and aimed towards generating progress on a two-state solution at the UN General Assembly in September. Not surprisingly the conference, which David Lammy attended, was boycotted by the US and Israel. Both countries understand that a two-state solution is not only impossible but also extremely dangerous. That's not because the Palestinian Arabs don't deserve self-determination. Nor is it due to Israeli nationalistic intransigence, but to the overriding need to defend itself. We saw what happened when a two-state solution was tried in Gaza. The whole place was turned by Islamic jihadists into an engine of war and resulted in the horrors of October 7. Is it reasonable to expect Jerusalem to repeat such a devastatingly failed experiment and extend it into the West Bank where the risks are far greater? When so many lives are at stake and Israel's very existence under threat, hoping for the best – as the likes of Starmer and Macron seem to be doing – is not going to cut it. They need to understand that the Israel-Palestinian conflict is not about land or Arab self-determination, it's a religious war to annihilate the Jewish state and always has been. The Palestinians have been offered their own state many times, including a proposal to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to cede virtually all of the West Bank, build a tunnel connecting it to Gaza and relinquish Israeli sovereignty over East Jerusalem. Every single offer has been rejected. Even the so-called moderate Abbas, while begrudgingly recognising the existence of Israel, doesn't recognise its 'right to exist'– hence his continual demands for the 'right of return', code for swamping Israel with millions more Arabs with the intention of ending its existence. That same 'right of return' is also enshrined in the New York Declaration. The document calls as well for 'an independent, sovereign, and democratic Palestinian State'. Let's just pause on democracy. Abbas is in the nineteenth year of what was supposed to be a four-year term. He's promised elections many times but never held them because he knew he and his Fatah party would be ousted by Hamas. Polling shows Hamas remains the most popular political entity in the West Bank. During the times I have been there recently, most of the Arabs I met praised Hamas as the only feasible rulers. So, do the New York signatories want a democratic Palestinian state governed by the very people who brought Gaza to utter disaster? According to the French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot, the Arab signatories to the New York Declaration 'clearly express their intention to normalise relations with Israel in the future' – conditional on concrete progress towards a two-state solution. Establishing diplomatic relations beyond the current Abraham Accords countries would be highly desirable of course. Indeed Saudi Arabia came close to normalisation before October 7, which was the reason Iran sent Hamas to invade and put a stop to it. But important though normalisation is for Israel, none of its benefits can trump the defence of its own people. The New York Declaration calls for a UN-mandated international force in Gaza after the war. That might be achievable, but given the history of such enterprises, there is no way Israel could cede overall security responsibility to anyone other than their own armed forces. The same goes for the West Bank. The IDF can therefore leave neither, which means there can be no sovereign Palestinian state. The Prime Minister of Israel has many tough decisions to make, but choosing between national survival and what Starmer and the New York Declaration seem to think is the inalienable right of the Palestinians to a state is not one of them. And although Starmer likes to demonise Netanyahu, that would apply just the same to any Israeli premier in the post October 7 world. Notwithstanding its condemnation of Hamas, the only effect of the New York Declaration will be to harden Palestinian resolve against Israel and encourage Hamas to keep fighting. They say so themselves. Following Starmer's proposal yesterday to recognise a non-existent state, a senior Hamas official wrote: 'International support for Palestinian self-determination shows we are moving in the right direction… Victory and liberation are closer than we expected.'
Gulf Today
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Gulf Today
France, 14 other countries urge recognition of Palestinian state
France and 14 other Western nations called on countries worldwide to move to recognise a Palestinian state, France's top diplomat said on Wednesday. The foreign ministers of 15 countries late on Tuesday issued a joint statement following a conference in New York, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, aimed at reviving a two-state solution between Israelis and the Palestinians. 'In New York, together with 14 other countries, France is issuing a collective appeal: we express our desire to recognise the State of Palestine and invite those who have not yet done so to join us,' French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot wrote on X. President Emmanuel Macron announced last week he would formally recognise Palestinian statehood in September, provoking strong opposition from Israel and the United States. France is hoping to build a momentum around the formal recognition of a Palestinian state. Also on Wednesday, Jordan's King Abdullah II said that the 'humanitarian catastrophe' unfolding in the Gaza Strip was the worst in modern history. 'Gaza is witnessing a humanitarian catastrophe that exceeds anything we have witnessed in modern history,' the longtime Western ally said, adding that Jordan was in contact with international partners 'to pressure for an end to the war,' now in its 22nd month. On Tuesday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the UK will formally recognise the State of Palestine in September unless Israel takes various 'substantive steps', including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza. Starmer's move, paired with Paris, would make the two European allies the first G7 nations to do so. In the statement, 15 nations including Spain, Norway, and Finland affirmed their 'unwavering commitment to the vision of the two-state solution.' Nine of the signatories which have not yet recognised the Palestinian state expressed 'the willingness or the positive consideration of their countries' to do so, including Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Seventeen countries plus the European Union and Arab League during the conference joined calls for Hamas to disarm and end its rule of Gaza, in a bid to end the devastating war in the Palestinian territory. Meanwhile, Britain on Wednesday rejected criticism that it was rewarding Hamas by setting out plans to recognise a Palestinian state unless Israel took steps to improve the situation in Gaza and bring about peace. The sight of emaciated Gaza children has shocked the world in recent days and on Tuesday, a hunger monitor warned that a worst-case scenario of famine was unfolding there and immediate action was needed to avoid widespread death. Starmer's ultimatum, setting a September deadline for Israel, prompted an immediate rebuke from his counterpart in Jerusalem, who said it rewarded Hamas and punished the victims of their 2023 cross-border attack. US President Donald Trump said he did not think Hamas 'should be rewarded' with recognition of Palestinian independence. Asked about that criticism, British Transport Minister Heidi Alexander - designated by the government to respond to questions in a series of media interviews on Wednesday — said it was not the right way to characterise Britain's plan. 'This is not a reward for Hamas. This is about the Palestinian people. It's about those children that we see in Gaza who are starving to death,' she told LBC radio. 'We've got to ratchet up pressure on the Israeli government to lift the restrictions to get aid back into Gaza.' The co-founder of pro-Palestinian activist group Palestine Action can launch a court bid to overturn the UK government's decision to ban the group under anti-terrorism laws, a judge ruled on Wednesday. The government earlier this month banned the group days after activists broke into an air force base in southern England. Prosecutors have said they caused an estimated £7 million ($9.3 million) of damage to two aircraft at the base. Being a member or supporting the group is now a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Agence France-Presse
