Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt Join Call for Hamas to Disarm and Relinquish Power in Gaza

(Patria) - Arab countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, joined calls on Tuesday for Hamas to disarm and end its rule of Gaza, in an effort to end the devastating war in the Palestinian territory, AFP reported.

Seventeen countries, plus the European Union and the Arab League, supported the text agreed upon at a United Nations conference on reviving the two-state solution for 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 goal of a sovereign and independent Palestinian state," the declaration states.

This followed a call by the Palestinian delegation at the United Nations on Monday for both Israel and Hamas to leave Gaza, allowing the Palestinian Authority to govern the coastal territory.

The text also condemned Hamas's deadly attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.
France, which co-chaired the conference with Saudi Arabia, called the declaration "historic and unprecedented".

"For the first time, Arab countries and those in the Middle East are condemning Hamas, condemning October 7, calling for Hamas's disarmament, calling for its exclusion from the Palestinian administration, and clearly expressing their intention to normalize relations with Israel in the future," said French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot.

The text, signed by France, the United Kingdom, and Canada, among other Western countries, also calls for the possible deployment of foreign forces to stabilize Gaza after the end of hostilities.

Israel and its ally the United States did not participate in the meeting.
21 months of war

"We supported the deployment of a temporary international stabilization mission at the request of the Palestinian Authority and under the auspices of the United Nations and in accordance with UN principles, building on existing UN capacities, which will be authorized by the UN Security Council, with appropriate regional and international support," the declaration states.

The document was released on the second day of a conference in New York where the United Kingdom announced it could recognize a Palestinian state in September.

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said London would proceed with recognition if Israel did not meet conditions, including implementing a ceasefire in Gaza and allowing sufficient humanitarian aid.

For decades, most UN member states have supported a two-state solution, where Israel and a Palestinian state would exist side-by-side. But after more than 21 months of war in Gaza, continued expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, and Israeli officials announcing plans to annex occupied territories, there are fears that a Palestinian state could become geographically impossible.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at a meeting on Monday that the "two-state solution is further away than ever before".