Newsletters
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on Italy to formally recognize Palestinian statehood during a visit to Rome on Thursday, telling Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's political festival that such recognition would strengthen equality and reduce the use of force in the Middle East.
Speaking at the "Atreju" political festival organized by Meloni's Brothers of Italy party, Abbas pressed his case for international recognition following a private meeting with the prime minister at Chigi Palace. The Palestinian leader framed statehood as essential to regional stability rather than a security threat.
"We hope that Italy will continue to move forward in recognizing the State of Palestine in order to strengthen the principle of two states, equality, and reduce the use of force," Abbas said, according to his remarks at the event.
Abbas outlined his vision for coexistence based on pre-1967 borders, arguing that the absence of Palestinian statehood fuels regional instability. He emphasized that Palestine could exist alongside Israel within those boundaries through mutual respect.
"The absence of a Palestinian state is the source of instability and extremism in the region and affects all regional security," Abbas stated. He added that while every state has a legitimate right to security, imposing an occupation through force is not legitimate.
The Palestinian president thanked the Italian government for its support in multiple areas, including facilitation of peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis, training of Palestinian police by Italian security forces, humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza, and medical treatment of Palestinian children in Italy.
Introducing Abbas to the festival audience, Meloni emphasized Italy's active role in addressing the Middle East crisis. She said the Palestinian leader's presence demonstrated Italy's central position in the difficult process toward peace through a two-state framework.
The prime minister also pushed back against critics of her government's Palestinian policy, suggesting that Abbas's attendance at her party's festival disproved accusations against the Italian government over the past two years.
Abbas affirmed his commitment to building what he described as a common state based on rule of law, working within a new national framework where weapons remain solely in the hands of legitimate institutions. He confirmed Palestinian desire to promote electoral processes for both parliamentary and presidential elections.
Meloni stated in an October 22 announcement that Italy's recognition of a Palestinian state would require certain conditions to be met, including Hamas relinquishing any political role in Palestine's future and laying down arms.
Abbas is scheduled to meet with opposition left-party leaders in Rome on Friday as part of his diplomatic outreach during the Italy visit.
The push for broader international recognition of Palestinian statehood has intensified among Palestinian officials as a diplomatic strategy, with several European nations debating the issue. The two-state solution concept envisions independent Israeli and Palestinian states coexisting peacefully, though the framework has faced substantial obstacles in recent years.
1 min read
1 min read
