In a moment that seemed to defy recent diplomatic tensions, former U.S. President Donald Trump and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas shared a warm, public handshake at a high-stakes peace summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, on October 13, 2025. The image of the two leaders, smiling and clasping hands, has sent shockwaves through the international community, coming just weeks after the U.S. government’s controversial decision to deny Abbas a visa to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York [[1], [6]].
From UN Snub to Egyptian Handshake
The contrast between these two events is stark. In September, Abbas was barred from entering the United States, a move that prevented him from delivering his speech in person at the U.N. General Assembly. The U.N. was forced to pass a special resolution, approved by a vote of 145-5, to allow the Palestinian leader to address the assembly via a video link . His absence was a powerful symbol of the strained relationship between the Palestinian Authority and the U.S. administration.
Fast forward to Egypt, and the scene was dramatically different. At the Gaza peace summit, Trump was seen not only shaking Abbas’s hand but also holding it for several seconds and giving a thumbs-up to the gathered press . This public display of rapprochement has left many analysts scrambling to understand the sudden shift in tone.
Why the Sudden Change?
The timing of this handshake is no coincidence. It follows a significant wave of international recognition for a Palestinian state. During the 79th session of the U.N. General Assembly, a bloc of influential nations, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Portugal, France, and several other European states, formally announced their recognition of Palestine [[14], [18]]. This brings the total number of U.N. member states recognizing Palestine to 157, a clear majority that represents over 80% of the international body .
This growing global consensus appears to have created a new political reality, one that even the most staunch U.S. allies can no longer ignore. The handshake in Egypt may be Trump’s way of signaling a recalibration of his approach in the face of this overwhelming international momentum.
The Road Ahead: A Fragile Hope
While the image from Sharm El-Sheikh is a powerful one, experts caution against reading too much into a single gesture. The core issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict—borders, security, the status of Jerusalem, and the right of return for refugees—remain deeply entrenched and unresolved.
However, the convergence of three key factors creates a unique, if fragile, moment of opportunity:
| Factor | Impact |
|---|---|
| Global Recognition Wave | Legitimizes Palestinian statehood claims on the world stage. |
| U.S. Diplomatic Re-engagement | Trump’s handshake signals a potential softening of the U.S. stance. |
| Egyptian Peace Summit | Provides a neutral platform for direct dialogue between key players. |
The success of this nascent diplomatic opening will depend on whether these symbolic gestures can be translated into concrete, good-faith negotiations.
