Overview
- President Emmanuel Macron is preparing to recognise a Palestinian state ahead of the June 17–20 U.N. conference co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia
- In a June 9 letter to Macron, Mahmoud Abbas demanded that Hamas hand over its weapons to Palestinian Security Forces for removal outside the occupied territories
- Abbas pledged to hold presidential and legislative elections within a year under international supervision to strengthen the Palestinian Authority
- The Palestinian president offered to invite Arab and international forces to Gaza as part of a U.N.-mandated stabilisation and protection mission
- Israel has warned that recognising Palestinian independence would reward Hamas for its October 7 attacks and has rejected any future role for the Palestinian Authority in Gaza