Britain Palestine Project Chair, Andrew Whitley with President Mahmoud Abbas, London 9th September 2025
On 9 September, representatives of the Britain Palestine Project (BPP), Chair Andrew Whitley and Trustee Richard Burden were honoured to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during his official visit to London. This was the President’s first visit to the UK in over a decade, and it came as part of a wider programme of meetings with senior members of the UK Government, including the new Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper.
Our delegation joined colleagues from across the political spectrum and civil society organisations committed to advancing peace, justice, and equal rights for Palestinians and Israelis.
President Abbas appeared in good health and spoke with energy throughout the meeting. In his remarks, President Abbas commended the work of British doctors providing assistance in Gaza and reiterated his long-standing position opposing violence against civilians. He noted his statement condemning the killing of Israelis in Jerusalem and referred to the role of international legal institutions such as the ICJ and ICC in addressing accountability. While critical of extreme elements within the current Israeli government, he stressed the importance of recognising those Israelis who continue to work for peace.
President Abbas also reflected on the importance of ongoing international engagement, including the role the UK can play following its recognition of the State of Palestine. He emphasised the need for practical steps to support Palestinian statehood and highlighted priorities for humanitarian relief and reconstruction in Gaza, alongside renewed efforts for a political resolution to the conflict.
The President stated that Hamas has no place in Palestinian politics and will have to disarm. He said that “another country” (naming Egypt) would assume responsibility for the sensitive and challenging task of disarming the group. After the war ends, Arab and Western countries would play a role in the administration of Gaza alongside Palestinians. He also committed to holding elections in Gaza and the rest of the OPT within a year of the fighting ending.
We were encouraged by his call for multilateral actions to focus attention on both the immediate humanitarian crisis and the longer-term political process. These proposals underline the vital role that the UK, together with regional and international partners, can play in shaping a just and lasting peace.
The Britain Palestine Project remains committed to working with policymakers, parliamentarians, and civil society in the UK to ensure that Britain lives up to its responsibilities in supporting Israeli and Palestinian rights and advancing a political solution grounded in international law that enables both peoples to share the land and live together in peace.