Our efforts are not aimed at isolating Israel or de-legitimizing it; rather we want to gain legitimacy for the cause of the people of Palestine. We only aim to de-legitimize the settlement activities and the occupation and apartheid and the logic of ruthless force, and we believe that all the countries of the world stand with us in this regard.

At the same time he has performed diplomatic duties presenting a moderating face for PLO policies. He also called for Palestinian groups to end the use of arms against Israelis. Abbas was chosen as the President of the State of Palestine by the Palestine Liberation Organization's Central Council on 23 November 2008 a job he had held unofficially since 8 May 2005.

Mahmoud Abbas (Arabic: مَحْمُود عَبَّاس‎ Maḥmūd ʿAbbās; born 26 March 1935) also known by the kunya Abu Mazen (Arabic: أَبُو مَازِن‎ 'Abū Māzin) an Arab of the Sunni-Muslim faith has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah (فتح Fataḥ) ticket. Mahmoud Abbas was elected to serve until 9 January 2009 due to Palestinian Internal conflict he unilaterally extended his term for another year and continues in office even after that second deadline expired. Abbas was chosen as the President of the State of Palestine by the Palestine Liberation Organization's Central Council on 23 November 2008 a job he had held unofficially since 8 May 2005.