RAMALLAH, West Bank--The president of the Palestinian Authority expressed hope that Japan will recognize Palestine as a state and contribute to the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.

In an interview, Mahmoud Abbas also emphasized the importance of the authority’s involvement in advancing the peace plan led by U.S. President Donald Trump and international efforts to rebuild Gaza, which has been devastated by two years of fighting.

“We want your government to recognize the Palestinian state,” Abbas, 90, told Asahi Shimbun reporters at the presidential office in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Dec. 25. “I don’t think there is any reason not to do it. It is not against Israel. It is for peace in the Middle East.”

The meeting was his first exclusive interview with an international media outlet since a cease-fire agreement between Israel and the Islamist group Hamas took effect on Oct. 10.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet Trump in the United States on Dec. 29.

The first phase of the cease-fire agreement, which called for hostage and prisoner exchanges, is now considered almost complete. Netanyahu and Trump are expected to discuss how to proceed with subsequent phases.

Topics likely to be on the agenda include the establishment of a Board of Peace, an interim governing body led by Trump, and the deployment of an International Stabilization Force, a multinational unit for overseeing the cease-fire and maintaining security in Gaza.

While welcoming these initiatives, Abbas emphasized they should be carried out with the consent of the Palestinian Authority and in a manner that respects its sovereignty.

Despite the cease-fire, Israeli military strikes have killed more than 400 people, bringing the total death toll since the start of the Gaza conflict to more than 70,000. Some crossings remain closed, and malnutrition persists among Palestinian children.

Abbas appreciated efforts made by Trump and the mediating countries to achieve the cease-fire but voiced grave concern about Gaza’s current situation.

“The continued violations, sporadic clashes and restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid undermine this agreement and threaten its collapse,” he said.

Abbas expressed the Palestinian Authority’s readiness to administer Gaza again by calling for postwar governance of the enclave by the “legitimate Palestinian government” and an end to Hamas’ control of the territory.

Gaza has been under Hamas’ de facto control since 2007, and the Palestinian Authority’s governance extends only to the West Bank.

Abbas asserted that his organization is the rightful governing entity with the principle of “one authority, one law and one legitimate weapon.”

Despite Hamas’ rejection of disarmament, he said, “the disarmament of Hamas and the end of its rule constitute an essential part of (the second) phase (of the peace plan).”

The peace plan does not explicitly guarantee that Gaza’s future governance will be entrusted to the Palestinian Authority.

Palestinians and Arab states are concerned about Gaza’s reconstruction being driven by the United States and Israel.

One example is the Civil-Military Coordination Center, which the United States opened in southern Israel immediately after the cease-fire.

The temporary body, responsible for monitoring the cease-fire and coordinating humanitarian aid, comprises military and civilian representatives from about 50 countries and organizations. But the Palestinian Authority is not included.

“As for the CMCC, we stress that any reconstruction or coordination mechanism must complement the role of the Palestinian Authority, not replace it, as bypassing the Authority undermines stability and weakens prospects for long-term success,” Abbas said.

The Board of Peace’s mandate is expected to last until the Palestinian Authority completes reforms sought by the United States and other members of the international community.

Abbas pledged to implement a comprehensive reform program that includes strengthening good governance, the rule of law and transparency in line with international standards.

The international community has also been urging early elections of the Palestinian Legislative Council, the equivalent of a national parliament, as part of the reform process as no voting has been held since 2006.

Abbas reiterated his longstanding position to hold elections within one year after the end of the war but listed the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza as a precondition.

A Palestinian Authority official said it will take time to verify and register voters because many Gaza residents have been killed or displaced during the two-year conflict and that such work cannot proceed as long as Israeli forces are stationed there.

The peace plan states, “Hamas and other factions agree to not have any role in the governance of Gaza, directly, indirectly, or in any form.”

Abbas also made clear that “no armed faction can participate in governance or administration,” while leaving the possibility for Hamas’ involvement as a political entity.

“The door remains open for Palestinian factions to participate in political and democratic life, provided they transform into political parties committed to Palestinian law and international obligations,” he said.

Since the outbreak of fighting in Gaza in October 2023, Israel has intensified its operations in the West Bank. Attacks by Jewish settlers against Palestinians have also increased.

Abbas called on the international community to intervene.

“Settlement expansion, de facto (land) annexation and terrorist attacks by settlers constitute a grave violation of international law and a deliberate undermining of the two-state solution,” he said.

About 160 countries have recognized Palestine as a state in support of the two-state solution, where an independent Palestine would coexist with Israel.

While Israel and the United States have objected to these moves, Britain, Canada and France became the first Group of Seven members to extend recognition in September.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi is scheduled to visit Israel and Palestinian territories in mid-January. Japan also plans to dispatch civilian personnel to the CMCC.

“We hold Japan in high regard and deeply appreciate its continuous humanitarian and developmental role in support of the Palestinian people,” Abbas said. “We welcome any support that contributes to the reconstruction of Gaza, including Japan’s participation in international efforts.”

(This article was written by Takashi Ishihara and Fumiaki Sonoyama.)