Abbas to Macron: We support the disarmament of Hamas and the deployment of international forces for stability and protection.

In a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron ahead of a UN conference on the two-state solution, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas expressed his support for Hamas to "lay down its weapons" and "cease its rule over Gaza" as part of a future Palestinian state, the Élysée Palace announced Tuesday.

In a letter addressed Monday to Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who will co-chair the conference on the two-state solution from June 17 to 21 in New York, Abbas also said he was "prepared to invite Arab and international forces to deploy as part of a stabilization/protection mission mandated by the Security Council."

He added that a future Palestinian state "will have no intention of becoming a military state and is prepared to work toward security arrangements that benefit all parties as long as they benefit from international protection." He wrote, "What Hamas did in October 2023, killing and capturing civilians, is unacceptable," calling on the movement to "immediately release all hostages."

For its part, the Élysée Palace welcomed "concrete and unprecedented commitments that demonstrate a genuine desire to move toward implementing the two-state solution." France is seeking to make the international conference to be held at the United Nations a "pivotal moment" for relaunching the two-state solution, something the Israeli government does not want.

Macron, who will travel to New York on June 18, said he is "determined" to recognize a Palestinian state, but with conditions including the "disarmament" of Hamas and its "non-participation" in government.

In his letter, Abbas emphasized his commitment to "continuing reform" of the Palestinian Authority and indicated that he wants to hold "presidential and legislative elections within a year," under international "supervision."

He continued, "We are ready to do our full part to promote a credible and irreversible path toward ending the occupation, moving toward establishing an independent, sovereign Palestinian state, and implementing the two-state solution, within a clear timetable and with strong international guarantees."