Palestinian President: "We don’t want an armed state"

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday received Japanese Parliamentary Vice Foreign Minister Hisashi Matsumoto and his accompanying delegation at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah.

During the meeting, President Abbas commended Japan’s consistent support for peace and the two-state solution, as well as its rejection of settlement expansion and settler violence.

He also praised Japan’s humanitarian and economic assistance to the Palestinian people, including support for UNRWA and institution-building projects such as the “Path to Peace and Prosperity” and the “Siabad Group,” emphasizing Palestine’s keenness to strengthen friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

President Abbas presented the Japanese guest with a detailed briefing on the Palestinian position, stressing the need for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza, expedited humanitarian aid delivery, and the release of all prisoners.

He underlined the importance of Palestine assuming full civil and security responsibilities in Gaza, calling for all Palestinian factions to hand over their weapons to the Palestinian Authority under the principle of “one system, one law, one legitimate weapon,” reiterating that “we do not want an armed state.”

Abbas also demanded the full withdrawal of 'Israeli' forces from Gaza, the start of reconstruction, and holding general elections within a year, alongside achieving comprehensive calm in the West Bank, halting settlement expansion and settler terrorism, and releasing frozen Palestinian funds.

Additionally, he praised Japan’s active participation in the International Peace Conference in New York and called on Japan, which supports the two-state solution, to officially recognize the State of Palestine.

Concluding his remarks, President Abbas highlighted the important role Japan could play in implementing the two-state solution, supporting reform, development, and reconstruction programs, describing the country as a friend to both Palestine and efforts toward peace.