Editing Mahmoud Abbas (section)

==Political relations==
[[File:Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Mahmoud Abbas in May 2009.jpg |left|thumb| Abbas with President [[Barack Obama]] and Vice President [[Joe Biden]] in the [[Oval Office]] ]]
{{See also|List of international presidential trips made by Mahmoud Abbas}}

===With Israel===
[[File:Rice Olmert Abbas 2007.jpg |right|thumb| Abbas meets with then [[United States Secretary of State]] [[Condoleezza Rice]] and then Israeli prime minister [[Ehud Olmert]] ]]

In January 2005, Israeli radio reported that Abbas had secured a thirty-day ceasefire from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. On 12 February, lone Palestinians attacked Israel settlements and Abbas quickly fired some of his security officers for not stopping the attacks during the ceasefire.

In April 2005, Abbas said that the killing of three Palestinians in southern Gaza by Israeli soldiers was a deliberate violation of the declared ceasefire deal. "This violation is made on purpose," Abbas said in a written statement sent to reporters in the West Bank capital of [[Ramallah]]. Abbas made the statement shortly after three Palestinian teenage boys were shot dead by Israeli troops in the southern Gaza town of Rafah. Israel claimed they thought the boys were attempting to smuggle weapons, while Palestinians claimed a group of boys were playing soccer and three of them went to retrieve the ball near the border fence.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/84DEC331-B3BD-4A1C-B2F2-186AF5683714.htm |title=Israeli troops kill Palestinian teenagers |date=10 April 2005 |website=Al Jazeera |access-date=26 January 2020 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050911055856/http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/84DEC331-B3BD-4A1C-B2F2-186AF5683714.htm |archive-date=11 September 2005}}</ref>

In July 2005, he announced that he would move his office to [[Gaza City|Gaza]] until the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops in order to coordinate the Palestinian side of the withdrawal, mediating between the different factions.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4715627.stm |title=Abbas moves to Gaza for pullout |date=25 July 2005 |website=BBC News |access-date=26 January 2020}}</ref>

In March 2008, Abbas stated he was suspending peace talks with Israel, while Israeli prime minister [[Ehud Olmert]] vowed to press on with military operations against militants who have been launching home-made rockets into southern Israel.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/03/02/mideast/index.html |title=Palestinians suspend peace talks with Israel |first=Shira |last=Medding |date=2 March 2008 |website=CNN |access-date=26 January 2020 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080305184821/http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/03/02/mideast/index.html#cnnSTCText |archive-date=5 March 2008}}</ref>

In May 2008 Abbas said he would resign from his office if the current round of peace talks had not yielded an agreement in principle "within six months".  He also said that the current negotiations were, in effect, deadlocked: "So far, we have not reached an agreement on any issue.  Any report indicating otherwise is simply not true."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.upi.com/International_Security/Emerging_Threats/Analysis/2008/05/20/analysis_the_palestinians_trump_card/6996/ |title=Analysis: The Palestinians' trump card |first=Claude |last=Salhani|author-link=Claude Salhani |date=20 May 2008 |website=United Press International |access-date=26 January 2020 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080521093753/http://www.upi.com/International_Security/Emerging_Threats/Analysis/2008/05/20/analysis_the_palestinians_trump_card/6996/ |archive-date=21 May 2008}}</ref>

Abbas has since confirmed that he turned down an Israeli offer for a Palestinian state on nearly 95% of the West Bank. In September 2008, Olmert had presented him with a map that delineated the borders of the proposed PA state, for which Israel would annex 6.3 percent of the West Bank and compensate the Palestinians with 5.8 percent (taken from pre-1967 Israel), which Abbas stated he rejected out of hand, insisting instead to demarcate the 4 June 1967 borders of Palestine. He said that Olmert did not give a map of the proposal and that he could not sign without seeing the proposal. Abbas also said that he was not an expert on maps and pointed to Olmert's corruption investigation (he was later convicted).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thejc.com/news/israel-news/149618/abbas-admits-rejecting-ehud-olmerts-peace-offer |title=Abbas admits rejecting Ehud Olmert's peace offer |date=19 November 2015 |work=[[The Jewish Chronicle]] |access-date=19 June 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324082013/http://www.thejc.com/news/israel-news/149618/abbas-admits-rejecting-ehud-olmerts-peace-offer |archive-date=2016-03-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.thetower.org/2580-breaking-abbas-admits-for-the-first-time-that-he-turned-down-peace-offer-in-2008/ |title=Abbas Admits For the First Time That He Turned Down Peace Offer in 2008 |date=17 November 2015 |magazine=[[The Tower Magazine]] |access-date=3 September 2024}}</ref> Abbas said in October 2011 that he made a counteroffer to let Israel annex 1.9% of the West Bank.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/28/mahmoud-abbas-remarkable-_n_1064397.html |title=Mahmoud Abbas: Remarkable Revelations In Israeli TV Interview |first=Amy |last=Teibel |date=28 October 2011 |website=[[Huffington Post]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111030071622/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/28/mahmoud-abbas-remarkable-_n_1064397.html |archive-date=30 October 2011}}</ref>

In 2012, Abbas floated the idea of accepting a [[two-state solution]] which outlined Palestine as existing within the [[1967 borders]] with a capital in [[East Jerusalem]].  In an interview with Israeli Channel 2 TV, Abbas said, "It is my right to see [the Israeli city of [[Safed]]], but not to live there."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/israel-president-welcomes-abbas-s-refugee-remarks-1.1147016 |title=Israel president welcomes Abbas's refugee remarks |work=CBC |date=3 November 2012 |agency=Associated Press |access-date=3 September 2024}}</ref> The negative reaction{{From whom?|date=October 2023}} to these words forced Abbas to backpedal.<ref>{{cite book |author=Halevi, Yossi Klein |title=Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor |location=New York |publisher=Harper |date=2018}}</ref>

According to an [[International Crisis Group]] report, most Israeli officials "do not see [Abbas] as a peace partner but consider [him] a nonthreatening, violence-abhorring, strategic asset."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://d2071andvip0wj.cloudfront.net/162-no-exit-gaza-israel-between-wars.pdf |title=No Exit? Gaza & Israel Between Wars: Middle East Report No.162 |date=26 August 2015 |website=[[International Crisis Group]] |page=33 |access-date=26 January 2020 |archive-date=12 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220612072330/https://d2071andvip0wj.cloudfront.net/162-no-exit-gaza-israel-between-wars.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In June 2016, Abbas repeated to the [[European Parliament]] a false press report that rabbis in Israel were calling for Palestinian wells to be poisoned.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.726657 |title=Abbas Repeats Debunked Claim That Rabbis Called to Poison Palestinian Water in Brussels Speech |last1=Ravid |first1=Barak |last2=Khoury |first2=Jack |date=23 June 2016 |newspaper=Haaretz |access-date=3 September 2024}}</ref> Abbas retracted the statement the following day, acknowledging that the claim was not true and stating that he "didn't intend to do harm to Judaism or to offend Jewish people around the world".<ref name="NYT-AbbasRetractsClaim">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/25/world/middleeast/mahmoud-abbas-israel-rabbis-poison-palestinian-water.html |title=Abbas Retracts Claim That Israeli Rabbis Called for Poisoning Water |last1=Hadid |first1=Diaa |date=24 June 2016 |work=The New York Times |access-date=3 September 2024}}</ref> Israel's prime minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] said Abbas's statement spread a "[[blood libel]]".<ref name="NYT-AbbasRetractsClaim"/><ref name="Reuters-Abbas-BloodLibel">{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-palestinians-israel-idUSKCN0Z91J8 |title=Abbas says some Israeli rabbis called for poisoning Palestinian water |last1=Emmott |first1=Robin |last2=Williams |first2=Dan |date=23 June 2016 |work=Reuters |access-date=3 September 2024}}</ref>

[[File:Direct talks in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, on September 14, 2010 2.jpg |right|thumb| Abbas meets with then US secretary of state [[Hillary Clinton]] and Israeli prime minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]]]]

===With Hamas===
In May 2006, Abbas gave [[Hamas]] a ten-day deadline to accept the [[Six-Day War |1967 ceasefire lines]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/05/25/palestinian.talks/ |title=Abbas gives Hamas 10 days to accept Israel |date=25 May 2006 |website=CNN |access-date=3 September 2024}}</ref>

In December 2006, Abbas called for new legislative elections, to bring an end to the parliamentary stalemate between Fatah and Hamas in forming a national coalition government.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://us.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/12/16/abbas/index.html |title=Palestinian president calls for early elections |date=16 December 2006 |website=CNN |access-date=3 September 2024}}</ref>

In March 2007, a [[Palestinian government of March 2007|unity government]] was formed incorporating members of both Hamas and Fatah, with [[Ismail Haniyeh]] as prime minister and independent politicians taking many key portfolios.

In June 2007, Abbas dissolved the Hamas-led unity government of Haniyeh, declared a state of emergency, and appointed [[Salam Fayyad]] in his place. This followed action by Hamas armed forces to take control of Palestinian Authority positions controlled by Fatah militias. The appointment of Fayyad to replace Haniyeh has been challenged as illegal, because under the Palestinian Basic Law, the president may dismiss a sitting prime minister, but may not appoint a replacement without the approval of the [[Palestinian Legislative Council]]. According to the law, until a new prime minister is thus appointed, the outgoing prime minister heads a caretaker government. Fayyad's appointment was never placed before, or approved by the Legislative Council.{{cn|date=November 2023}} For this reason, Haniyeh, the Hamas prime minister has [[Governance of the Gaza Strip|continued to operate in Gaza]], and is recognised by a large number of Palestinians as the legitimate acting prime minister. Anis al-Qasem, a constitutional lawyer who drafted the Basic Law, is among those who publicly declared Abbas's appointment of Fayyad to be illegal.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL0880166 |title=Opinion of lawyer who drafted Palestinian law |date=8 July 2007 |website=Reuters |access-date=3 September 2024}}</ref>

In June 2007, the European Union promised to resume direct aid to the Palestinian Authority, and Abbas dissolved the [[Palestinian Security Services|National Security Council]], a sticking point in the defunct unity government with Hamas.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/06/18/business/mideast.php |title=Abbas dissolves Palestinian National Security Council, rallying international support |date=18 June 2007 |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=[[International Herald Tribune]] |access-date=26 January 2020 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070621092227/http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/06/18/business/mideast.php |archive-date=21 June 2007}}</ref> That same day, the United States decided to end its fifteen-month embargo on the Palestinian Authority and resume aid, attempting to strengthen Abbas's West Bank government.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/06/19/sports/pals.php |title=U.S. ends embargo on Palestinian Authority in move to bolster Fatah |first=Helene |last=Cooper |date=19 June 2007 |newspaper=International Herald Tribune |access-date=26 January 2020 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071002021516/http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/06/19/sports/pals.php |archive-date=2 October 2007}}</ref> A day later, the Fatah Central Committee cut off all ties and dialogue with Hamas, pending the return of Gaza.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/06/19/africa/ME-GEN-Palestinians-Fatah-Hamas.php |title=Fatah's leadership decides to cut off all contacts with Hamas |agency=Associated Press |date=19 June 2007 |newspaper=International Herald Tribune |access-date=26 January 2020 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071016061625/http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/06/19/africa/ME-GEN-Palestinians-Fatah-Hamas.php |archive-date=16 October 2007}}</ref>

In July 2023, Abbas met with Turkish president [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]] and Hamas leader [[Ismail Haniyeh]]. Behind the meeting was Turkey's effort to reconcile Fatah with Hamas.<ref>{{cite news |title=Erdogan hosts PA's Abbas, Hamas head Haniyeh to prepare for détente talks |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/erdogan-hosts-pas-abbas-hamas-head-haniyeh-to-prepare-for-detente-talks/ |work=The Times of Israel |date=26 July 2023 |access-date=3 September 2024}}</ref>

===With foreign leaders===
[[File:The opening of the Moscow Cathedral Mosque (2015-09-23) 03.jpg |right|thumb| Abbas, [[Vladimir Putin]], and [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]] opened Moscow's [[Moscow Cathedral Mosque|Cathedral Mosque]], 23 September 2015. ]]
[[File:Prime Minister Keir Starmer attends UNGA (54022912335).jpg|thumb|Abbas with British prime minister [[Keir Starmer]] in New York City, 25 September 2024]]
In May 2009, he welcomed Pope [[Benedict XVI]] to the West Bank, who supported Abbas's goal of a Palestinian State.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8047134.stm |title=Pope calls for Palestinian state |date=13 May 2009 |website=BBC News |access-date=26 January 2020}}</ref> Also in May 2009, Abbas made a visit to Canada, where he met with [[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Canada)|foreign affairs minister]] [[Lawrence Cannon]] and [[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister]] [[Stephen Harper]]. The same year Abbas visited [[Venezuela]] and met [[Hugo Chávez]].<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-329606358/death-of-an-international-strong-man |title=Death of an International Strong Man |first=Sharif Hikmat |last=Nashashibi |date=April 2013 |issue=442 |journal=The Middle East |access-date=4 September 2017 |archive-date=12 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012094034/https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-329606358/death-of-an-international-strong-man |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In February 2010, Abbas visited Japan for the third time as Palestinian president. In this visit he met Prime Minister [[Yukio Hatoyama]]. He also visited [[Hiroshima]], the first such visit by a Palestinian leader, and spoke about the suffering of Hiroshima, which he compared to the suffering of the Palestinians.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hiroshimapeacemedia.jp/mediacenter/article.php?story=20100209112446197_en |title=President of Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas visits Hiroshima |website=Hiroshima Peace Media Center |access-date=19 June 2016 |archive-date=12 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012094038/http://www.hiroshimapeacemedia.jp/mediacenter/article.php?story=20100209112446197_en |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In July 2012, Abbas accused former U.S. secretary of state [[Condoleezza Rice]] of fabricating a conversation between them and denied such a conversation took place. The specific quote he denied was, "I can't tell four million Palestinians only five thousand of them can go home,"<ref name="Ma'an News Agency">{{cite news |url=http://www.maannews.net/eng/viewdetails.aspx?id=432399 |title=In memoir, Rice says 'historic peace' nearly reached |date=25 October 2011 |website=Ma'an News Agency |access-date=11 July 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120105134453/http://www.maannews.net/eng/viewdetails.aspx?id=432399 |archive-date=5 January 2012}}</ref><ref name="Yedioth Ahronoth">{{cite news |url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4138022,00.html |title=Rice: I thought peace was within reach |date=23 October 2011 |work=[[Ynet]] |access-date=3 September 2024}}</ref> regarding the issue of Palestinian refugees. Abbas further said, "I'm not calling her a liar... I am saying we never had that conversation."<ref name="The Times of Israel">{{cite news |url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/abbas-accuses-rice-of-fabricating-key-conversation-about-olmerts-peace-offer/ |title=Abbas accuses Rice of fabricating crucial conversation about Olmert's peace offer |first=Kayla J. |last=Adams |date=7 July 2012 |newspaper=[[The Times of Israel]] |access-date=3 September 2024}}</ref> In response, Rice denied that she fabricated it. Her chief of staff, Georgia Godfrey, wrote, "Dr. Rice stands by her account of the conversation and what she wrote in her book."<ref name="The Times of Israel1">{{cite news |url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/rebutting-abbas-condoleezza-rice-confirms-her-account-of-their-2008-refugee-conversation/ |title=Rebutting Abbas, Condoleezza Rice confirms her account of their 2008 refugee conversation |last=Ahren |first=Raphael |date=11 July 2012 |newspaper=The Times of Israel |access-date=3 September 2024}}</ref>

In January 2019, Abbas accepted the chairmanship of the United Nations' [[Group of 77]], a coalition of 134 mainly developing nations and China, on behalf of Palestine, which is a non-member observer state of the UN. He was handed the gavel by Egypt's foreign minister [[Sameh Shoukry]], the outgoing chairman.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://apnews.com/article/7a0ea4857106432885d845ab027591d4|title=Palestinians announce plans to again seek full UN membership|date=15 January 2019|work=AP NEWS|first=Edith M.|last=Lederer|access-date=3 September 2024}}</ref>

Abbas made a state visit to China in 2023, and held talks with President [[Xi Jinping]] and met with Premier [[Li Keqiang]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-16 |title=Palestinian leader Abbas ends China trip after backing Beijing's crackdown on Muslim minorities |url=https://apnews.com/article/china-palestinians-abbas-xinjiang-7aa4038f6a3302dcaaedd23d44e0a3de |access-date=2025-01-10 |website=[[Associated Press]] |language=en}}</ref>