Several Arab countries call for Hamas to disarm

Seventeen countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt, called Tuesday for Hamas to hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority during a U.N. conference aimed at reviving the two-state solution for Israel and Palestine.

The "New York Declaration," prepared by France and Saudi Arabia — co-chairs of the conference — and supported by 15 other countries (including Brazil, Canada, Turkey, Jordan, Qatar, Egypt and the United Kingdom,) as well as the European Union and the Arab League, calls for the end of the war in Gaza to achieve "a just, peaceful and lasting resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on the implementation of the two-state solution."

In this context, these countries emphasize that "governance, the maintenance of order, and security throughout the entire Palestinian territory must fall solely to the Palestinian Authority, with appropriate support."

"Hamas must end its control of Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority," it adds.

These statements echo commitments made in June by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the lead-up to this conference, as part of efforts to convince more countries to recognize the Palestinian state.

While the U.N. General Assembly has never condemned Hamas' unprecedented attack on Oct. 7, 2023 — which led to Israeli reprisals in Gaza — the text "condemns" this attack.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot described the declaration as "historic and unprecedented" during an interview with France 24.

"For the first time, Arab countries and countries in the Near and Middle East are condemning Hamas, condemning Oct. 7, calling for the disarmament of Hamas, calling for its exclusion from any form of participation in the governance of Palestine, and clearly expressing their intention to have in the future normalized relations with Israel and to join, alongside Israel and the future state of Palestine, a regional organization," he said.

From the podium of the U.N. General Assembly, where he announced the adoption of the declaration, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan called on all other member states to "support this document" by early September.

The 17 countries also demand unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, a small territory threatened by famine, and reject "the use of hunger as a method of warfare."

They also express their support "for the deployment of an international temporary stabilization mission" in Gaza.

This mission would be intended, notably, to protect the civilian population, "support the transfer of security responsibilities" to the Palestinian Authority, and provide "security guarantees for Palestine and Israel, including the monitoring" of a future cease-fire.