In his speech to the United Nations General Assembly, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stated that the actions of Hamas—especially the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel—”do not represent the Palestinian people, nor do they represent their just struggle for freedom and independence.”
He also stated that he rejects any future role for Hamas in governing Gaza, and demands that weapons be handed over to the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), and that Gaza be an integral part of the Palestinian state, whose governance and security he is responsible for. This position, although belated, is on the right track and represents a dramatic shift in the Palestinian Authority’s stance toward Hamas. The question for President Mahmoud Abbas is whether some of the PA’s ambassadors and officials, such as Mustafa Barghouti, Hussam Zomlot, Jibril Rajoub, and others who receive their salaries directly from the PA, will comply with this official position and publicly denounce Hamas’s actions, especially on October 7.
التاريخ 26-09-2025
