Article author:
Reuters
Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Ali Sawafta
Ramallah — Palestinians are the first president as the United States strives to strengthen defense relations between Israel and Arab countries. Waiting for his visit to get darker and darker Joe Biden after what they saw as a series of broken promises by Washington.
Palestinians say they have never heard of a request to reopen the US Consulate in East Jerusalem, which was closed by former President Donald Trump, or to declassify the Palestine Liberation Organization as a terrorist organization. ..
"There is no illusion that a visit will achieve a political breakthrough. We will listen to more pledges and promises," said a senior Palestinian official. .. "This visit is about normalizing relations between Israel and Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia."
Biden visited Israel and the West Bank from July 13 to 16. Meet with Israeli leaders, Abbas, and Saudi Arabia.
A spokesperson for the US Palestinian Affairs Bureau believes that Washington believes that the best way for both Israeli and Palestinians to resolve conflicts for generations is a two-state solution. Stated.
Also, the Palestinians reopen the consulate, assuming that they have implicitly acknowledged East Jerusalem's position as the future capital of the Palestinian state in the territory occupied by Israel during the 1967 Middle East War. I promised that.
On Thursday's call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Abbas urges Israel to maintain the historic status of the East Jerusalem-Al-Aqsa Mosque complex. I requested the government. there. Israel rejects allegations of trying to change the status quo.
Palestinians also say that Israel's continued reconciliation efforts on the west bank of the occupied Jordans obscure the prospects for a viable Palestinian state coexisting with Israel.
"Abbas told Blinken that the situation could not continue this way," officials said.
Focus on Israeli-Arab relations
U.S. officials rejected allegations that the Biden administration broke its pledge to Palestinians and under the administration of former President Donald. Trump points out the changes after the relationship collapses.
They need Israeli cooperation to reopen the consulate, and the Palestinian Authority has never been able to remove the PLO's terrorist designation. It states that it is necessary to take.
Despite the disappointment of the Palestinians, they say Biden has resumed aid and reopened contact lines. After the Trump administration signaled acceptance of such activities, the administration also criticized Israel's expansion of settlements inconsistent with the outlook for peace.
"Remember that we have fallen into a situation where our relationship with the Palestinians has been completely cut off (by the Trump administration), so we have reinstated our funding and reinstated our relationship. It's been rebuilt ... and more will happen in the future, "said an executive of the Biden administration.
But focus on strengthening security cooperation between Israel and the United States and allied Arab countries to combat potential threats from Iran. Means that the move towards a broader solution to the Palestinian problem is still far away, according to Gaza political analyst Talal O'Kal.
"Biden does nothing to change the existing reality," he said. "There is no horizon of conflict between Palestine and Israel."
Biden's visit is an 86-year-old chain with a history of health problems that has been dominated by law since the last Palestinian election in 2005. Speculation about the future of smoker Abbas is growing.
Last month, when the European Union agreed to recover funds frozen in a school textbook controversy, the Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited autonomy in parts of the West Bank, was boosted. rice field.
There is also increasing pressure on Israel, including the Biden administration, on actions against the deadly shootings of Al Jazeera journalist Sirene Abu Acre, who was reporting the Israeli attack. There is. The town on the west bank of Genin.
However, further progress is complicated by the collapse of Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's coalition and the turmoil that elections are scheduled for November 1. Political analyst Hani Al Masry said it is unlikely that the minimum amount of US financial assistance to Palestinians would be exceeded.
"Even if there was hope, it was swept away by new changes in Israel, government and parliament." (Additional report by Dan Williams of Jerusalem and Matt Spetalnick of Washington Nidal Almughrabi reports from Gaza, Written by Nidal al-Mughrabi, edited by Mark Heinrich)
