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Mahmoud Abbas

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  • Mahmoud Abbas
  • Abu Mazen
مَحْمُود عَبَّاس
أَبُو مَازِن
Abbas in 2023
2ndPresident of Palestine
Assumed office
8 May 2005[a][1]
Preceded byYasser Arafat
2ndPresident of the Palestinian National Authority
Assumed office
15 January 2005[b]
Prime Minister
Preceded by
4thChairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization
Assumed office
29 October 2004[c]
Preceded byYasser Arafat
Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority
In office
19 March 2003 – 6 September 2003[4]
PresidentYasser Arafat
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byAhmed Qurei
Personal details
Born
Mahmoud Rida Abbas

(1935-11-15)15 November 1935(age 88)
Safed,Mandatory Palestine(now inIsrael)
NationalityPalestinian
Political partyFatah
SpouseAmina Abbas
Children3, includingYasser
Residence(s)Ramallah,West Bank[5]
Alma mater

Mahmoud Abbas(Arabic:مَحْمُود عَبَّاس,romanized:Maḥmūd ʿAbbās;born 15 November 1935), also known by thekunyaAbu Mazen(Arabic:أَبُو مَازِن,ʾAbū Māzin), is thepresident of the State of Palestineand thePalestinian National Authority(PNA).[6]He has been thechairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization(PLO) since 2004, PNA president since January 2005, andState of Palestinepresident since May 2005. Abbas is also a member of theFatahparty and was elected chairman in 2009.

Abbas waselectedon 9 January 2005 to serve as President of the Palestinian National Authority until 15 January 2009, but extended his term until the next election in 2010, citing the PLO constitution, and on 16 December 2009 was voted into office indefinitely by thePLO Central Council.As a result, Fatah's main rival,Hamas,initially announced that it would not recognize the extension or view Abbas as the rightful president.[7][8][9]Nonetheless, Abbas is internationally recognized in his position(s) and Hamas and Fatah conducted numerous negotiations in the following years,[10]leading toan agreementin April 2014 for aUnity Government(which lasted until October 2016) and to the recognition of his office by Hamas.[3]Abbas was also chosen as the president of the State of Palestine by the PLO Central Council on 23 November 2008,[1]a position he had held unofficially since 8 May 2005.[11]

Abbas served as the firstprime minister of the Palestinian Authorityfrom March to September 2003.[12]Before being named prime minister, Abbas led thePLO Negotiations Affairs Department.Abbas has been subject to both criticism and controversy, having been accused of corruption, as well as distorting Jewish history and engaging inHolocaust denial.[13][14]

Early and personal life

Mahmoud Rida Abbas[15]was born on 15 November 1935[16]inSafed,in theGalileeregion ofMandatory Palestine(nowIsrael).[17]His family fled toSyriaduring the1948 Palestine war.[17]Before going toEgypt,Abbas graduated from theUniversity of Damascus,where he studied law.[18]

Abbas later entered graduate studies at thePatrice Lumumba UniversityinMoscow,where he earned aCandidate of Sciencesdegree[19][20](the Soviet equivalent of a PhD). His doctoral dissertation wasThe Other Side: The Secret Relationship Between Nazism and Zionism.[21]

He is married to Amina Abbas, and together they had three sons. The eldest, Mazen Abbas, ran a building company inDohaand died inQatarof a heart attack in 2002 at the age of 42.[22]Thekunyaof Abu Mazen means "father of Mazen." Their second son isYasser Abbas,a Canadian businessman who was named after former PA leaderYasser Arafat.[23]The youngest son is Tareq, a business executive. Abbas has eight grandchildren, six of whom are part of theSeeds of Peaceinitiative bringing them in touch with young Israelis.[24]

Political activism and career

In the mid-1950s, Abbas became heavily involved in underground Palestinian politics, joining a number of exiled Palestinians in Qatar, where he was Director of Personnel in the emirate's Civil Service. While there in 1961, he was recruited to become a member ofFatah,founded by Yasser Arafat and five other Palestinians in Kuwait in the late 1950s.[25]At the time, Arafat was establishing the groundwork of Fatah by enlisting wealthy Palestinians in Qatar, Kuwait, and otherGulf States.[citation needed]

According toAbu Daoud,part of the funds raised by Abbas were used, without the latter's knowledge, to implement the 1972Munich massacre.[26]He was among the first members ofFatahto call for talks with moderate Israelis, doing so in 1977. In a 2012 interview, he recalled, "[...] because we took up arms, we were in a position to put them down with credibility."[27]

In 1977, Abbas called for the repatriation ofArab Jewsto their countries of origin, receiving the approval ofMorocco,Tunisia,Libya,Egypt,Iraq,Yemen,andSudan.[28]

Abbas has performed diplomatic duties, presenting a moderating contrast to the PLO's "revolutionary" policies.[17]Abbas was the first PLO official to visit Saudi Arabia after theGulf Warin January 1993 to mend fences with the Gulf countries after the PLO's support of Iraq during the Persian Gulf War strained relations. In theOslo I Accord,Abbas was the signatory for the PLO on 13 September 1993. He published a memoir,Through Secret Channels: The Road to Oslo(1995).[29]

In 1995, he and Israeli negotiatorYossi Beilinwrote theBeilin–Abu Mazen agreement,which was meant to be the framework for a future Israeli–Palestinian peace deal.[citation needed]

It emerged in September 2016 that Abbas may have once worked for theKGB,as early as 1985 inDamascus,according to a document uncovered in theMitrokhin Archive,where he is registered as agent "Krotov". Palestinian officials replied that at the time in question, thePLOcollaborated with Moscow, and that Abbas was their liaison man in the Palestinian-Soviet friendship foundation.[30][31]

Prime minister

Abbas withAriel SharonandGeorge W. BushinAqaba,Jordan,4 June 2003

By early 2003, as Israel and the United States refused to negotiate with Yasser Arafat, it was thought that Abbas would be a candidate for the kind of leadership role envisaged by both countries. As one of the few remaining founding members of Fatah, he had some degree of credibility within the Palestinian cause, and his candidacy was bolstered by the fact that other high-profile Palestinians were for various reasons not suitable (the most notable,Marwan Barghouti,was a prisoner in Israeli jail after having been convicted on charges of being responsible for multiple murders by an Israeli court). Abbas's reputation as a pragmatist garnered him favor with the West and some members of the Palestinian legislature. Under international pressure, on 19 March 2003, Arafat appointed AbbasPrime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority.According toGilbert Achcar,the United States imposed Abbas on Arafat, the democratically elected leader, though the majority of Palestinians thought of Abbas as aQuisling.[32]

A struggle for power between Arafat and Abbas ensued.[33]Abbas's term as prime minister was characterised by numerous conflicts between him and Arafat over the distribution of power. The United States and Israel accused Arafat of undermining Abbas and his government. Abbas hinted he would resign if not given more control over the administration. In early September 2003, he confronted the Palestinian parliament over this issue.[citation needed]

Abbas came into conflict withPalestinian militant groups,notably thePalestinian Islamic Jihad MovementandHamasbecause his pragmatic policies were opposed to their hard-line approach. Initially, he pledged not to use force against the militants in the interest of avoiding a civil war, and attempted negotiation. This was partially successful, resulting in a pledge from the two groups to honor a unilateral Palestinian cease-fire. However, continuing violence and Israeli"targeted killings"of known leaders forced Abbas to pledge a crackdown in order to uphold the Palestinian Authority's side of theRoad map for peace.This led to a power struggle with Arafat over control of thePalestinian Security Services;Arafat refused to release control to Abbas, thus preventing him from using them on the militants. Abbas resigned as prime minister on 6 September 2003, citing lack of support from Israel and the United States as well as "internal incitement" against his government.[4][12]

2005 presidential election

After Yasser Arafat's death, Abbas was seen, at least by Fatah, as his natural successor. On 25 November 2004, Abbas was endorsed by Fatah's Revolutionary Council as its preferred candidate for thepresidential election,scheduled for 9 January 2005. On 14 December, Abbas called for an end to violence in theSecond Intifadaand a return to peaceful resistance. Abbas told theAsharq Al-Awsatnewspaper that "the use of arms has been damaging and should end." However, he refused, or was not able, to disarm Palestinian militants and use force against groups designated as terrorist organisations.[citation needed]

With Israeli forces arresting and restricting the movement of other candidates, Hamas's boycott of the election, and his campaign being given 94% of thePalestinianelectoral campaign coverage on TV, Abbas's election was virtually ensured, and on 9 January Abbas was elected with 63% of the vote as President of the Palestinian National Authority.[34]

In his speech, he addressed a crowd of supporters chanting "a millionshahids",stating:" I present this victory to the soul of Yasser Arafat and present it to our people, to our martyrs and to11,000 prisoners".He also called for Palestinian groups to end the use of arms against Israelis.[35]

Presidency and PLO leadership

Abbas with Russian PresidentDmitry Medvedev,18 January 2011
Abbas with U.S. PresidentDonald Trumpin Washington, D.C., 3 May 2017

Despite Abbas's call for a peaceful solution, attacks by militant groups continued after his election, in a direct challenge to his authority. The PalestinianIslamic Jihad Movement in Palestinelaunched a raid in Gaza on 12 January 2005, that killed one and wounded three Israeli military personnel.[36]On 13 January, Palestinians from theAl-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades,Hamas,and thePopular Resistance Committeeslaunched a suicide attack on theKarni crossing,killing six Israelis.[36]As a result, Israel shut down the damaged terminal and broke off relations with Abbas and the Palestinian Authority, stating that Abbas must now show a gesture of peace by attempting to stop such attacks.[37]Abbas was formally sworn in as thePresident of the Palestinian National Authorityin a ceremony held on 15 January, in theWest Banktown ofRamallah.[38]

On 8 February 2005, Abbas met with Israeli Prime MinisterAriel Sharonat theSharm el-Sheikh Summitto end theSecond Intifada,and they both reaffirmed their commitment to theRoadmap for peaceprocess. Sharon also agreed to release 900Palestinian prisonersof the 7,500 being held at the time,[39]and to withdraw from West Bank towns.

On 9 August 2005, Abbas announced thatlegislative elections,originally scheduled for 17 July 2005, would take place in January 2006. On 20 August, he set the elections for 25 January.[40]On 15 January 2006, Abbas declared that, despite unrest in Gaza, he would not change the election date, unless Israel were to prevent Palestinians inEast Jerusalemfrom voting.[41]The elections took place on 25 January 2006, and resulted in a decisive Hamas victory.

On 16 January 2006, in the context of Fatah's election loss and Hamas' presumed future one party government, Abbas said that he would not run for office again at the end of his term.[42]However, following international sanctions against a Hamas one party government, political and military conflicts between Hamas and Fatah, and the division of the country, which made new elections impossible, Abbas stayed president after the expiration of his four-year term on 15 January 2009. He extended his term for another year, using another interpretation of the Basic Law and the Election Law, so he could align thenext presidential and parliamentary elections.Pointing to the Palestinian constitution, Hamas disputed the validity of this move, and considered Abbas's term to have ended, in which caseAbdel Aziz Duwaik,Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council,would have become acting president.[7][9][8]

On 16 December 2009, the leadership of thePalestinian Central Councilannounced an indefinite extension of Abbas's term as president. Since then, Abbas has remained president of the Fatah-controlled areas of the Palestinian territories.[43]In April 2014, Hamas withdrew its objection, in order to form aUnity Governmentwith Fatah.[3]

Abbas with U.S. PresidentJoe Bidenat the Palestinian Presidential Palace in Bethlehem, 15 July 2022

Abbas has supported theblockade of the Gaza Stripas a means of weakening Hamas. In 2010, Abbas declared that he opposed lifting the Israeli naval blockade of the Gaza Strip because this would bolster Hamas. Egypt also supported this position.[44]In 2014 and subsequent years, Abbas supported Egypt's crackdown onsmuggling tunnelsand welcomed the flooding of the tunnels by Egypt in coordination with the PA.[45][46][47]In 2016, Abbas objected to the entrance of Qatari fuel to the Gaza electricity plant via Israel, because his PA would be unable to collect taxes on the fuel.[48]

On 31 December 2014, Abbas signed an application for Palestine to join theInternational Criminal Court,[49]just one day after the UN Security Council voted against a resolution demanding the end of Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and statehood for Palestine by 2017.[50]The threat of joining the ICC and suing Israel for war crimes had been considered by Palestinian officials for years prior, but the move was seen as a diplomatic "last resort." The decision came as Abbas' administration dealt with allegations of corruption and mismanagement, potential political challenges from rival parties and other Fatah members, and low approval ratings.[49]

On 22 August 2015, Abbas announced his resignation as chairman of the Executive Committee of the PLO,[51]and subsequently called for an emergency meeting of the PNC to hold an election. The announcement drew criticisms and speculation as to his motives.[52][53]His proposed special session of the PNC was postponed indefinitely,[54]and he remains acting chairman of the PLC as of October 2023.

In 2021,local elections in Palestinewere held amidst a rift between Abbas andHamas.[55]This was after he had indefinitely postponed thepresidential electionandparliamentary elections.[56]

During the2023 Israel–Hamas war,Abbas rejected "practices of killing civilians or abusing them on both sides because they contravene morals, religion and international law."[57]He called for the "release of civilians, prisoners and detainees" and expressed concern about the consequences of Israel'stotal blockade of the Gaza Strip.[58]Abbas declared three days of mourning following theAl-Ahli Arab Hospital explosionand canceled a planned meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden.[59]In February 2024, he called theAl-Rashid humanitarian aid incidentan "ugly massacre" that was perpetrated by the "Israeli occupation army."[60]

Political relations

See also:List of international presidential trips made by Mahmoud Abbas

With Israel

Abbas with PresidentBarack Obamaand Vice PresidentJoe Bidenin theOval Office

On 23 January 2005, Israeli radio reported that Abbas had secured a thirty-day ceasefire from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. On 12 February, lone Palestinians attacked Israel settlements and Abbas quickly fired some of his security officers for not stopping the attacks during the ceasefire.

On 9 April 2005, Abbas said that the killing of three Palestinians in southern Gaza by Israeli soldiers was a deliberate violation of the declared ceasefire deal. "This violation is made on purpose," Abbas said in a written statement sent to reporters in the West Bank capital ofRamallah.Abbas made the statement shortly after three Palestinian teenage boys were shot dead by Israeli troops in the southern Gaza town of Rafah. Israel claimed they thought the boys were attempting to smuggle weapons, while Palestinians claimed a group of boys were playing soccer and three of them went to retrieve the ball near the border fence.[61]

Abbas meets with thenUnited States Secretary of StateCondoleezza Riceand then Israeli Prime MinisterEhud Olmert.

On 25 July 2005, he announced that he would move his office toGazauntil the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops in order to coordinate the Palestinian side of the withdrawal, mediating between the different factions.[62]

On 2 March 2008, Abbas stated he was suspending peace talks with Israel, while Israeli Prime MinisterEhud Olmertvowed to press on with military operations against militants who have been launching home-made rockets into southern Israel.[63]

Abbas meets with then US Secretary of StateHillary Clintonand Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu.

On 20 May 2008 Abbas said he would resign from his office if the current round of peace talks had not yielded an agreement in principle "within six months". He also said that the current negotiations were, in effect, deadlocked: "So far, we have not reached an agreement on any issue. Any report indicating otherwise is simply not true."[64]

Abbas has since confirmed that he turned down an Israeli offer for a Palestinian state on nearly 95% of the West Bank. In September 2008, Olmert had presented him with a map that delineated the borders of the proposed PA state, for which Israel would annex 6.3 percent of the West Bank and compensate the Palestinians with 5.8 percent (taken from pre-1967 Israel), which Abbas stated he rejected out of hand, insisting instead to demarcate the 4 June 1967 borders of Palestine. He said that Olmert did not give a map of the proposal and that he could not sign without seeing the proposal. Abbas also said that he was not an expert on maps and pointed to Olmert's corruption investigation (he was later convicted).[65][66]Abbas said in October 2011 that he made a counteroffer to let Israel annex 1.9% of the West Bank.[67]

In 2012, Abbas floated the idea of accepting atwo-state solutionwhich outlined Palestine as existing within the1967 borderswith a capital inEast Jerusalem.In an interview with Israeli Channel 2 TV, Abbas said, "It is my right to see [the Israeli city ofSafed], but not to live there. "[68]The negative reaction[from whom?]to these words forced Abbas to backpedal.[69]

According to anInternational Crisis Groupreport, most Israeli officials "do not see [Abbas] as a peace partner but consider [him] a nonthreatening, violence-abhorring, strategic asset."[70]

On 23 June 2016, Abbas repeated to theEuropean Parliamenta false press report that rabbis in Israel were calling for Palestinian wells to be poisoned.[71]Abbas retracted the statement the following day, acknowledging that the claim was not true and stating that he "didn't intend to do harm to Judaism or to offend Jewish people around the world".[72]Israel's prime ministerBenjamin Netanyahusaid Abbas's statement spread a "blood libel".[72][73]

With Hamas

On 25 May 2006, Abbas gaveHamasa ten-day deadline to accept the1967 ceasefire lines.[74]

On 16 December 2006, Abbas called for new legislative elections, to bring an end to the parliamentary stalemate between Fatah and Hamas in forming a national coalition government.[75]

On 17 March 2007, aunity governmentwas formed incorporating members of both Hamas and Fatah, withIsmail Haniyehas prime minister and independent politicians taking many key portfolios.

On 14 June 2007, Abbas dissolved the Hamas-led unity government of Haniyeh, declared a state of emergency, and appointedSalam Fayyadin his place. This followed action by Hamas armed forces to take control of Palestinian Authority positions controlled by Fatah militias. The appointment of Fayyad to replace Haniyeh has been challenged as illegal, because under the Palestinian Basic Law, the president may dismiss a sitting prime minister, but may not appoint a replacement without the approval of thePalestinian Legislative Council.According to the law, until a new prime minister is thus appointed, the outgoing prime minister heads a caretaker government. Fayyad's appointment was never placed before, or approved by the Legislative Council.[citation needed]For this reason, Haniyeh, the Hamas prime minister hascontinued to operate in Gaza,and is recognised by a large number of Palestinians as the legitimate acting prime minister. Anis al-Qasem, a constitutional lawyer who drafted the Basic Law, is among those who publicly declared Abbas's appointment of Fayyad to be illegal.[76]

On 18 June 2007, the European Union promised to resume direct aid to the Palestinian Authority, and Abbas dissolved theNational Security Council,a sticking point in the defunct unity government with Hamas.[77]That same day, the United States decided to end its fifteen-month embargo on the Palestinian Authority and resume aid, attempting to strengthen Abbas's West Bank government.[78]A day later, the Fatah Central Committee cut off all ties and dialogue with Hamas, pending the return of Gaza.[79]

On 26 July 2023, Abbas met with Turkish PresidentRecep Tayyip Erdoğanand Hamas leaderIsmail Haniyeh.Behind the meeting wasTurkey's effort to reconcile Fatah with Hamas.[80]

With foreign leaders

Abbas,Vladimir Putin,andRecep Tayyip Erdoğanopened Moscow'sCathedral Mosque,23 September 2015.

In May 2009, he welcomed PopeBenedict XVIto the West Bank, who supported Abbas's goal of a Palestinian State.[81]Also in May 2009, Abbas made a visit to Canada, where he met withforeign affairs ministerLawrence CannonandPrime MinisterStephen Harper.The same year Abbas visitedVenezuelaand metHugo Chávez.[82]

In February 2010, Abbas visited Japan for the third time as Palestinian President. In this visit he met Prime MinisterYukio Hatoyama.He also visitedHiroshima,the first such visit by a Palestinian leader, and spoke about the suffering of Hiroshima, which he compared to the suffering of the Palestinians.[83]

In July 2012, Abbas accused former U.S. Secretary of StateCondoleezza Riceof fabricating a conversation between them and denied such a conversation took place. The specific quote he denied was, "I can't tell four million Palestinians only five thousand of them can go home,"[84][85]regarding the issue of Palestinian refugees. Abbas further said, "I'm not calling her a liar... I am saying we never had that conversation."[86]In response, Rice denied that she fabricated it. Her chief of staff, Georgia Godfrey, wrote, "Dr. Rice stands by her account of the conversation and what she wrote in her book."[87]

In January 2019, Abbas accepted the chairmanship of the United Nations'Group of 77,a coalition of 134 mainly developing nations and China, on behalf of Palestine, which is a non-member observer state of the UN. He was handed the gavel by Egypt's foreign ministerSameh Shoukry,the outgoing chairman.[88]

Criticism and controversy

Corruption allegations

There are frequent allegations that officials of thePalestinian Authority,including Abbas, have systematically embezzled public funds.[89]

Abbas's mentor and predecessor,Yasser Arafat,was accused of embezzling billions of dollars of Palestinian money.[90]This perceived corruption of the Fatah leadership is believed to have contributed to a convincing win by Hamas in the January 2006 parliamentary election. Fatah leaders were accused of siphoning funds from ministry budgets, passing out patronage jobs, accepting favors and gifts from suppliers and contractors.[91]

The source for specific allegations against Abbas was one of Arafat's most trusted aides, Mohammed Rashid, accused by the PA of embezzling hundreds of millions of dollars, who threatened to expose corruption scandals in the Palestinian Authority. For many years, Rashid served as Arafat's financial advisor and was given a free hand to handle hundreds of millions of dollars that were poured on the Palestinian Authority and the PLO by theUS,theEUandArabdonors. According to Rashid, Abbas's net worth wasUS$100million.[92]

On 10 July 2012, Abbas and his sons were attacked, in theUS Congress,for their alleged corruption. The debate was entitledChronic Kleptocracy: Corruption Within the Palestinian Political Establishment.[93]In his testimony before theHouse Committee on Foreign Affairs,Subcommittee on Middle East and South Asia,Elliott Abramsstated that "Corruption is an insidious destroyer not only of Palestinian public finance but of faith in the entire political system. And it has certainly had an impact on potential donors. I can tell you from my own experience, as an American official seeking financial assistance for the PA from Gulf Arab governments, that I was often told" why should we give them money when their officials will just steal it? ""[94][95]

The conspicuous wealth of Abbas's own sons, Yasser and Tarek, has been noted in Palestinian society since at least 2009, whenReutersfirst published a series of articles tying the sons to several business deals, including a few that had U.S. taxpayer support.[96]In aForeign Policyarticle, authorJonathan Schanzersuggested four ways in which the Abbas family has become rich. They include monopolies on American-made cigarettes sold in the territories;USAIDfunding; public works projects, such as road and school construction, on behalf of the Palestinian Authority; and special preferences for retail enterprises. It was strongly implied that the sons' lineage was the main credential in receiving these contracts.[97]

One of his sons, Yasser Abbas (but not brother Tarek or father Mahmoud), filed aUS$10million libel lawsuit in the United States District Court, District of Columbia, in September 2012 against Foreign Policy Group LLC and Schanzer alleging "false and defamatory statements. It seems every statement will be challenged, in a jury trial, if the court accepts jurisdiction."[98]Abbas also accused Schanzer of not contacting him for comment and of relying on untrustworthy sources of information. Abbas accused Schanzer of acting with malice and pursuing an agenda against the brothers, even though he also contended that he's a private citizen and not a public figure, so we wouldn't need to prove actual malice to win.[99]

Some analysts believed the Abbas family would not proceed with the case as it would allowForeign Policyand Schanzer to dig in too deep into the PA's secret finances and records.[100]However, the case proceeded.

In September 2013, U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan dismissed the suit using D.C.'s anti-SLAPPmeasure. Sullivan determined the lawsuit intended to censor, intimidate, and silence critics by burdening them with the cost of a legal defense until they abandoned their criticisms or opposition.[101]The decision has been appealed.[102]

As part of the 2016Panama Papersdata leak, it was revealed that Abbas's son Tareq Abbas holdsUS$1million in shares of an offshore company associated with thePalestinian Authority.[103]

In June 2021, hundreds of Palestinians held protests against the Abbas administration's corruption and brutality in centralRamallah(including one held at the president's headquarters) after anti-corruption activistNizar Banatdied in government custody.[104]

One of the common claims made by detractors against his government is that it works effectively as a subcontractor for the Israeli government; in spite of his strong verbal criticism of the Israeli government, there is widespread disdain for his administration within the Palestinian Authority.[105]

Published works and statements about the Holocaust

Main article:The Other Side: the Secret Relationship Between Nazism and Zionism

The Connection between the Nazis and the Leaders of the Zionist Movement 1933–1945is the title of Abbas'sCandScthesis, which was completed in 1982 at thePeoples' Friendship University of Russia,and defended at theInstitute of Oriental Studies of the Soviet Academy of Sciences.The dissertation and book discussed topics such as theHaavara Agreement,in which theJewish Agencysigned a pact withNazi Germanyto facilitate Jewish emigration to Palestine.[19][106]Some content of his thesis has been considered asHolocaust denialby some Jewish groups,[107]especially where he disputed theaccepted numberof Jews murdered inthe Holocaustand claimed Zionist agitation had been the cause of the Holocaust.[108]

In 1984, he published a book titled "The Other Side: the Secret Relationship Between Nazism and Zionism" (Arabic:Al-Wajh al-Ākhar: Al-'Alāqat aL-Sirriyya bayn al-Nāzīyya wa al-Sahyūniyya) based on the dissertation. In the book Abbas dismissed as a "myth" and "fantastic lie" that six million Jews were murdered in the Holocaust,[109][110]writing that the real figure was at most "890,000" or "a few hundred thousand".[111]The number of such deaths, he claimed, had been exaggerated for political purposes, writing "it seems that the interest of the Zionist movement... is to inflate this figure so that their gains will be greater. This led them to emphasize this figure [six million] in order to gain the solidarity of international public opinion with Zionism. Many scholars have debated the figure of six million and reached stunning conclusions—fixing the number of Jewish victims at only a few hundred thousand."[108]When asked about this assertion in his book, Abbas replied some 10 years later that he had written the book when the Palestinians were at war with Israel, adding that "today I would not have made such remarks."[112]In a March 2006 interview withHaaretz,Abbas stated:

I wrote in detail about the Holocaust and said I did not want to discuss numbers. I quoted an argument between historians in which various numbers of casualties were mentioned. One wrote there were 12 million victims and another wrote there were 800,000. I have no desire to argue with the figures. The Holocaust was a terrible, unforgivable crime against the Jewish nation, a crime against humanity that cannot be accepted by humankind. The Holocaust was a terrible thing and nobody can claim I denied it.[113]

In August 2022, during a joint press conference with German ChancellorOlaf ScholzinBerlin,Abbas was asked by an attending journalist if he would apologize for the 1972Munich massacreof Israeli Olympic athletes by Palestinian terrorists. He responded that "If we want to go over the past, go ahead. I have 50 slaughters that Israel committed… 50 massacres, 50 slaughters, 50 holocausts." In an interview afterwards with theBildtabloid, Scholz condemned Abbas' statements as atrivialization of the Holocaust.The remarks were also condemned by theIsraeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[114][115]Following an offense report for "relativizing the Shoah", in Berlin a criminal investigation was opened by police to determine if Abbas is guilty ofVolksverhetzung.[116]The investigation was closed because Abbas enjoys diplomatic immunity.[117]

In August 2023, during a speech to the Fatah Revolutionary Council, Abbas claimed that Hitler killed Jews because of their "social role" as moneylenders, rather than out of antisemitism, and that Ashkenazi Jews aredescendants of Khazars.His comments were condemned by the United States, European Union, France, and Germany,[118][119][120]whileMayor of ParisAnne Hidalgorescinded Abbas'sMedal of the City of Parisin response.[121]

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^Acting: 8 May 2005 – 23 November 2008
  2. ^Abbas's term as President expired 15 January 2009, after whichAziz Duwaikhad been recognised as President by the Haniyeh government in theGaza Strip,while Abbas is recognised as President by theFayyadgovernment in theWest Bankand all the states that recognise the independence of Palestine, as well as the UN.[2]In April 2014, he was recognized by Haniyeh in the context of theUnity Government.[3]
  3. ^Acting: 29 October – 11 November 2004

Footnotes

  1. ^ab "PLO body elects Abbas 'president of Palestine'".Khaleej Times.AFP.24 November 2008. Archived fromthe originalon 8 June 2011.Retrieved8 June2011."I announce that the PLO Central Council has elected Mahmud Abbas president of the State of Palestine. He takes on this role from this day, November 23, 2008," the body's chairman Salem al-Zaanun told reporters.
  2. ^Abu Toameh, Khaled(25 June 2009)."Dweik is real Palestinian president".The Jerusalem Post.Retrieved26 January2020.
  3. ^abcKeinon, Herb (10 May 2014)."Politics: Fatah-Hamas unity talks breed Likud harmony".The Jerusalem Post.Retrieved8 December2017.
  4. ^abPerry, Dan (6 September 2003)."Profile: Mahmoud Abbas".The Guardian.Associated Press.Retrieved26 January2020.
  5. ^ "Ramallah: Town, West Bank".Britannica.com.29 April 2014.Retrieved15 March2015.Ramallah, also spelled Rām Allāh, town in the West Bank, adjacent to the town of Al-Bīrah (east) and north of Jerusalem
  6. ^"Current talks 'last chance' for just peace with Israel, Palestinian leader tells UN".United Nations News Centre.26 September 2013.Retrieved26 January2020.
  7. ^ab"Hamas: Abbas no longer president".United Press International.9 January 2009.Retrieved26 January2020.
  8. ^abAbu Toameh, Khaled (14 December 2008)."Abbas planning to extend his own term".The Jerusalem Post.Retrieved26 January2020.
  9. ^abAbu Toameh, Khaled (9 January 2009)."Hamas: Abbas no longer heads PA".The Jerusalem Post.Retrieved26 January2020.
  10. ^Abu Toameh, Khaled (5 March 2012)."No political differences between Fatah, Hamas".The Jerusalem Post.Retrieved8 December2017.
  11. ^"PLO asks Mahmud Abbas to be acting president of" state of Palestine "".Al Jazeera.8 May 2005. Archived fromthe originalon 19 December 2013.Retrieved26 January2020– viaNewsLibrary.
  12. ^ab"Palestinian prime minister Abbas resigns".CNN.6 September 2003.Retrieved26 January2020.
  13. ^al-Omari, Ghaith (19 October 2023)."How the Palestinian Authority Failed Its People".The Atlantic.Retrieved31 December2023.
  14. ^"Outrage over Abbas's antisemitic speech on Jews and Holocaust".BBC News.7 September 2023.
  15. ^"Who is Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian Authority president - and why does he matter?".Middle East Eye.Retrieved30 May2024.
  16. ^"Biography of the President".President of the State of Palestine.2016. Archived fromthe originalon 30 March 2019.Retrieved26 January2020.
  17. ^abcSela, Avraham(2002). "Abbas, Mahmud".The Continuum Political Encyclopedia of the Middle East.New York:Continuum.p. 11.ISBN978-0-82641-053-5.
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Further reading

  • Encyclopedia of World Biography: Supplement #27(Thomson-Gale, 2007) pp. 1–3.

External links

Political offices
New office Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority
2003 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization
2004–present 		Incumbent
Preceded by President of the Palestinian National Authority
2005–present
Preceded by President of the State of Palestine
2005–present
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mahmoud_Abbas&oldid=1232320406"