Arab League, EU and others urge Hamas to disarm for two-state solution

Arab countries including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt joined calls Tuesday for Hamas to disarm and end its rule of Gaza, in a bid to end the devastating war in the Palestinian territory.

Seventeen countries plus the European Union and Arab League threw their weight behind a seven-page text agreed at a United Nations conference on reviving the two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians. 

It's the first time that several Arab and Muslim countries have explicitly criticized Hamas and urged the group to step down. The text also condemned the deadly October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks against Israel, something the UN General Assembly has yet to do.

"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 objective of a sovereign and independent Palestinian State," said the declaration.

It followed a call Monday by the Palestinian delegation at the UN for both Israel and Hamas to leave Gaza, allowing the Palestinian Authority to administer the coastal territory.

France, which co-chaired the conference with Saudi Arabia, called the declaration "both historic and unprecedented."

"For the first time, Arab countries and those in the Middle East condemn Hamas, condemn October 7, call for the disarmament of Hamas, call for its exclusion from Palestinian governance, and clearly express their intention to normalize relations with Israel in the future," said French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot.

The text, co-signed by France, Britain and Canada among other western nations, also called for the possible deployment of foreign forces to stabilize Gaza after the end of hostilities.

Israel and its ally the United States did not take part in the meeting. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposes a two-state solution and rejected the New York meeting, which Israel's close ally the U.S. called "unproductive and ill-timed."

Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon criticized the conference, saying "there are those in the world who fight terrorists and extremist forces, and then there are those who turn a blind eye to them or resort to appeasement."

France, 14 other nations urge recognition of Palestinian state

Following the conference, France and 14 other Western nations called on countries worldwide to move to recognize a Palestinian state, in a joint statement issued by 15 foreign ministers.

"In New York, together with 14 other countries, France is issuing a collective appeal: we express our desire to recognize the State of Palestine and invite those who have not yet done so to join us," French Foreign Minister Barrot wrote on X.

France is hoping to build a momentum around the formal recognition of a Palestinian state. 

Earlier on Tuesday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the UK will do so in September unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza, allows in sufficient aid, stops annexing land in the West Bank and signs up to a long-term, peace process over the next two months.

Netanyahu rejected the call, posting on X that "Starmer rewards Hamas's monstrous terrorism & punishes its victims… Appeasement towards jihadist terrorists always fails. It will fail you too. It will not happen."

If France and the UK formally recognize Palestine, they will become 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 recognized the Palestinian state expressed "the willingness or the positive consideration of their countries" to do so, including Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.