RAMALLAH: The head of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, on Friday said that after the war between Hamas and Israel is over, his authority would be willing to retake control over Gaza as part of a two-state solution, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.
"We will bear our full responsibility as part of a comprehensive political solution," Abbas said, referring to the formation of an independent Palestinian state, which would include the West Bank and East Jerusalem as well as the Gaza Strip.
Israel's current right-wing religious government and most of its members however reject this solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Some Israeli far-right ministers advocate for the annexation of the West Bank and even the Gaza Strip.
Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip in 2007, forcing out Abbas' Fatah movement, which retains control over Palestinian areas in the West Bank. Following the attack on October 7, Israel wants to destroy Hamas' rule and military capabilities. The US is insisting that the Palestinian Authority be involved in the discussion about the future of the Gaza Strip after the war.
However, many Palestinians want Abbas to step down and believe that he should not return to power in Gaza with the help of Israel.
Meanwhile, Syrian President Bashar al Assad was expected to travel to Saudi Arabia on Friday to participate in an emergency Arab League summit to discuss the situation in Gaza, according to state media reports.
His inclusion in Saturday's summit is a further Arab normalisation with the Syrian government of Assad.nThe state-run Syrian News Agency (SANA) said Assad is to participate in the work of the summit, which is to "discuss the situation in the occupied Palestinian Territories and what the Gaza Strip is experiencing due to Israeli aggression." The Arab League called the emergency summit at the request of Saudi Arabia and the Palestinians. - dpa
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