Mahmoud Abbas

Macron Warns Any Planned West Bank Annexation a 'Red Line'

French President Emmanuel Macron warned on Tuesday that any Israeli plans for annexation in the West Bank would be a "red line" and would provoke a European reaction. He spoke as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas visited Paris one month into a fragile truce between Hamas and Israel, following two years of war triggered by the militant group's ...

Abbas Determined to Withdraw All Palestinian Weapons from Lebanon

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Monday that his leadership is determined to withdraw all Palestinian weapons from Lebanon, calling the step essential to the country’s security and sovereignty. In an interview with Al-Arabiya, Abbas confirmed that he had reached an understanding with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on carrying out the ...

Fatah Reaffirms Commitment to Disarm All Palestinian Camps

The official spokesman of the Palestinian Fatah movement, Abdel Fattah Dawla, reiterated on Sunday his group’s commitment, under the authority of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, to cooperate with Lebanese authorities in disarming Palestinian camps across Lebanon. “The delivery to the Lebanese government on Friday of a third batch of ...

Palestinian Disarmament: Is Pandora’s Box Forever Closed?

For the first time since the signing and subsequent annulment of the Cairo Agreement, a formal and tangible process has been launched to disarm Palestinian factions in the country’s refugee camps. On May 21, 2025, President Abbas met with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the Baabda Presidential Palace. In a joint statement released after the ...

The Political Challenge of Disarming Palestinian Camps in Lebanon

The disarmament of Palestinian camps in Lebanon is set to begin in mid-June 2025 under a plan jointly developed by the Lebanese government and the Palestinian Authority. This initiative was a key focus of President Mahmoud Abbas’s recent visit to Beirut and was the main topic of a security meeting convened by President Joseph Aoun at the Baabda ...

Joint Committee Set to Tackle Palestinian Arms Issue in First Meeting Friday

Following a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced via X that a joint Lebanese-Palestinian committee will convene on Friday to establish a clear agenda for placing all illegal weapons, inside and outside Palestinian camps, under the authority of the Lebanese state. The meeting will also ...

Joseph Aoun and Mahmoud Abbas: No More Weapons Outside State Control in Lebanon

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun stressed during their meeting on Wednesday that “there would no longer be any weapons outside the control of the state in Lebanon.” This is a key decision since the Lebanese government does not exert authority over Palestinian refugee camps. Mahmoud Abbas, who met ...

Al Jazeera Says Allowed to Resume Work in Palestinian Territories

Al Jazeera's Ramallah bureau chief said on Monday the news channel could resume working in the Palestinian territories after President Mahmud Abbas lifted a ban in place since January. "Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has decided to lift the ban on the Al Jazeera network and allow its crews to resume work in the Palestinian ...

Palestinian President Abbas Appoints Aide as Potential Successor

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas appointed a close aide as the first ever vice president of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) on Saturday, positioning him as a potential successor to the veteran leader. Hussein al-Sheikh was appointed by Abbas, 89, after the vice presidency position was created during a convention held in Ramallah ...

Hezbollah’s 'Populist' Posturing and the Call for Army Control of Weapons

Hezbollah appears divided over its stance on handing over its weapons to the state. On one hand, senior figures such as Wafiq Safa, Mahmoud Komati and Naim Qassem—who declared, “We will not allow anyone to disarm us”—maintain a hardline position. On the other, President Joseph Aoun signaled a potential shift in the group’s approach, ...

Palestinian President in Damascus for the First Time in 16 Years

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas met Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus on Friday, on his first visit to Syria in 16 years. According to a Syrian government source, the pair were expected to discuss reinforcing ties between Syria and the Palestinians, as well as the "threats" faced by both parties. According to the UN agency for ...