A LONG TIME COMING
GUEST BLOG / By Barney Henderson, Newsweek Content Director--The Arab world has condemned Hamas, telling the group to end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority.
Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt joined 14 other countries in signing a declaration at a U.N. conference that condemned the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel and gave "unwavering support" to a two-state solution. "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," the declaration said.
"In line with the objective of a sovereign and independent Palestinian State."
Why It Matters
The declaration marks the first condemnation of Hamas by Arab nations. Hamas launched an attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 that killed about 1,200, mainly Israeli civilians. Militants took about 250 people hostage, around 50 of whom are still being held.
The declaration also condemns Israel's attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza, citing Israel's "siege and starvation, which have produced a devastating humanitarian catastrophe and protection crisis."
Israel's offensive against Hamas has killed over 60,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants.
The "New York Declaration" has laid out a phased strategy to resolve the nearly eight-decade-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the ongoing war in Gaza. The plan envisions the creation of an independent, demilitarized Palestine, coexisting peacefully alongside Israel.
The declaration called for all hostages to be released: "Only by ending the war in Gaza, releasing all hostages, ending occupation, rejecting violence and terror, realizing an independent, sovereign, and democratic Palestinian State, ending the occupation of all Arab territories and providing solid security guarantees for Israel and Palestine, can normal relations and coexistence among the region's peoples and States be achieved."
The declaration comes amid reports of widespread starvation and famine in Gaza, fueling global outrage over Israeli policies that have limited food access to Palestinians. Israel has denied these allegations and says it has begun a series of measures to address the humanitarian crisis.
Initially scheduled for two days, the meeting has been extended into Wednesday as representatives from around 50 nations have yet to deliver their statements.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposes a two-state solution. He rejected the U.N. meeting on both nationalistic and security grounds. "For the first time, Arab countries and those in the Middle East condemn Hamas, condemn Oct. 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," he said.
Tammy Bruce, the U.S. State Department spokesperson, said: "This week, the U.N. will serve as host to an unproductive and ill-timed conference on the two-state solution in New York City. This is a publicity stunt that comes in the middle of delicate diplomatic efforts to end the conflict. Far from promoting peace, the conference will prolong the war, embolden Hamas, and reward its obstruction and undermine real-world efforts to achieve peace."
Israel's U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon criticized the some 125 countries participating in 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."
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