Mahmoud Abbas on Barack Obama

Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian President, engaged with Barack Obama primarily through the lens of achieving a lasting peace based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital. During joint appearances, Abbas thanked the president for US support and reaffirmed the Palestinian commitment to a diplomatic solution, which he stressed required good faith and respect for international legitimacy, including halting settlement activity. Abbas asserted that the Palestinians had met their obligations under frameworks like the Road Map, while expecting the US to compel Israel to meet theirs, suggesting a shared goal despite fundamental disagreements on key issues like settlements and the right of return.

The relationship grew strained, however, as the peace process stalled, leading to public friction. Abbas reportedly defied the president by pursuing a United Nations status upgrade despite US objections, viewing the move as necessary due to continued Israeli settlement construction. Furthermore, Abbas was later reported to have delivered "three no's" to the US president regarding core peace tenets, specifically refusing to recognize a 'Jewish Israel,' abandon the 'right of return,' or commit to an 'end of conflict,' indicating a breaking point in negotiations where Abbas felt the US approach was unbalanced. Later, Abbas even took a direct shot at Obama's administration for failing to secure necessary concessions from Israel concerning a settlement freeze.