Portrait of Mahmoud Abbas
Politician · person
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Mahmoud Abbas on Netanyahu

Firm opponent (strong)

TL;DR

Mahmoud Abbas considers Benjamin Netanyahu fundamentally opposed to peace and determined to destroy the Palestinian state.

Key Points

  • He stated that Netanyahu is not a man who believes in peace, despite having worked with him since the 1990s.

  • Abbas has explicitly rejected Netanyahu’s ambitions of constructing a “greater Israel” as undermining the two-state solution.

  • In 2010, Abbas participated in US-brokered talks where both he and Netanyahu were urged to commit to the two-state vision.

Summary

Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority President, has expressed a firm conviction that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not believe in achieving peace with the Palestinians. He asserted that Netanyahu is determined to continue what he described as a “genocide of the Palestinian people” and is set on constructing a “greater Israel,” which he views as a plan to undermine the two-state solution. Abbas has maintained that despite decades of engagement, Israel, under Netanyahu’s leadership, still prevents the establishment of a fully-fledged Palestinian state, even after the PA recognized Israel in 1988.

Despite this negative assessment, Abbas has indicated a pragmatic necessity to engage with the Israeli leader, stating he has “no other choice but to deal with him,” even when peace talks are minimal. This interaction has historically been fraught, with past negotiations between the two leaders failing to yield a final status agreement. Abbas’s current stance is also colored by the ongoing conflict in Gaza, where he strongly decried Israel’s actions as a “war crime and a crime against humanity.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Mahmoud Abbas's position on Benjamin Netanyahu is one of strong opposition, viewing him as fundamentally unwilling to accept a viable Palestinian state. He has directly accused the Israeli Prime Minister of being determined to continue harmful actions against the Palestinian people.

Abbas has generally maintained a skeptical and opposing stance toward Netanyahu's policies, characterizing him as an obstacle to peace across various interactions. While he acknowledges the pragmatic need to deal with him, his core critique of Netanyahu's commitment to a two-state solution has remained consistent.

The President stated that he rejects the ambitions of Benjamin Netanyahu regarding territorial expansion, specifically pointing to settlement construction that would divide the West Bank. Abbas sees such moves as a blatant violation of international law.