BEIRUT, May 23, 2025 (WAFA) — President Mahmoud Abbas of the State of Palestine met on Friday with Major General Mustafa Hamdan, Secretary-General of the Al-Mourabitoun Party in Lebanon, to discuss the latest developments in the occupied Palestinian territories and regional cooperation.
During the meeting, President Abbas discussed the severe humanitarian situation facing the Palestinian people, particularly in the Gaza Strip, which has been experiencing an ongoing Israeli campaign of genocide against civilians, including women and children, and a prolonged siege and starvation.
He stressed that the immediate priority is securing a ceasefire in Gaza, ensuring the entry of humanitarian and medical aid, and achieving the full withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces. The President reiterated that the State of Palestine must take over its full civil and security responsibilities in Gaza, as well as work to stop the Israeli aggression in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and resume a political process grounded in international legitimacy.
President Abbas also addressed the situation of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, affirming that they are temporary guests until their right of return is fulfilled. He emphasized that the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon fall under Lebanese state and military sovereignty. He warned that the presence of weapons in the camps outside the framework of the Lebanese state weakens Lebanon and also harms the Palestinian cause.
The President reiterated that Gaza is an integral part of the State of Palestine and under its full political and legal jurisdiction, just like the rest of the occupied Palestinian land. He also spoke of ongoing efforts to mobilize international support for reconstruction in Gaza and to pursue a political solution based on international legitimacy and the two-state framework, with East Jerusalem as the capital of a sovereign Palestinian state.
He reaffirmed the importance of strengthening internal Palestinian unity and enhancing dialogue to reinforce the national front on the path to freedom, independence, and the right of return.
Major General Hamdan praised President Abbas’s positions on Lebanon and expressed appreciation for his commitment to strengthening the historical and fraternal ties between the Lebanese and Palestinian peoples.
M.N
