JERUSALEM – President Biden said Friday that now is not the time to restart peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, but insisted he remains committed to a two-state solution to their conflict and expressed hope that diplomatic deals between Israel and Israel could be sealed in 2020. And the four Arab countries could give new impetus to the peace process.
“Although the ground is not ripe at this time for the resumption of negotiations, the United States and my administration will not give up efforts to bring the Palestinians and Israelis closer together,” Mr. Biden said.
“At this time, as Israel improves relations with its neighbors across the region, we can use the same momentum to revitalize the peace process between the Palestinian people and the Israelis,” Mr. Biden added. Abraham Accords Negotiated Under Trump Administration
At a press conference after meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Mr. Biden made these comments. To the Church of the Nativity, the fourth century basilica where tradition says Jesus was born, The meeting was held in Bethlehem instead of Ramallah, the administrative center of power, to keep Biden short.
Mr. Mr. Biden His comments followed a call by Abbas.
“Isn’t it time for this occupation to end?” Abbas said in a press conference. “The key to peace and security in our region begins with the recognition of a Palestinian state,” he added, adding that Saudi Arabia – the most powerful Arab country – began on Friday incremental steps to normalize relations with Israel for the first time.
“Today is the only chance for a two-state solution along the 1967 borders,” the Palestinian leader said. “But we don’t know what will happen later.”
After a rousing welcome in Israel, Mr. It was a tense morning for Biden, just hours before a scheduled flight to more meetings in Saudi Arabia.
In Bethlehem, Mr. Biden said his commitment to the goal of a two-state solution has not changed, saying “two states between 1967 and mutually agreed upon land transitions are the best way to achieve equal security, prosperity, freedom, and democracy for Palestinians and Israelis.”
Mr. PLO has called for the removal of the Palestine Liberation Organization from the US terror list and the reopening of the US embassy to the Palestinians in Jerusalem and the PLO mission in Washington. Abbas urged Biden. Both were President Donald J. Closed under Trump.
The Palestinian leadership is divided between the Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the West Bank, and Hamas, the Islamist militant group that wrested control of Gaza from power in 2007. Most Palestinians do not expect reconciliation. Recent polling events.
In Gaza, the blockade enforced by Israel and Egypt is in its 15th year. In 2021 one in four Palestinians was unemployed. Seven in 10 people believe a Palestinian state is no longer possible because of expanding Israeli settlements in the West Bank, according to June. poll. About 80 percent of the authority’s chairman, Mr. They want Abbas to step down, he last faced elections in 2005, and the majority see both the Authority and Hamas as corrupt.
Against this backdrop, many Palestinians are frustrated with the Biden administration, with 65 percent opposing dialogue between their leadership and the United States. Although the Biden administration has frequently called for a two-state solution to the Palestinian conflict — Mr. Biden repeated that call on Thursday — and the perception among analysts is that he hasn’t matched his words with actions.
Ahead of Biden’s visit, the White House announced Many financial activities It was intended to improve the lives of Palestinians, but halted a political process to create a Palestinian state and took several Trump-era measures.
In his comments on Friday, Mr. Biden called on the Palestinian Authority to do more to clean up its own house.
“The Palestinian Authority also has important work to do, if you don’t mind my word,” Mr. Biden said. “Now is the time to strengthen Palestinian institutions to improve governance, transparency and accountability. Now is the time to unleash the incredible potential of the Palestinian people through greater engagement and civil society to fight corruption, promote rights and freedoms, and improve social services.
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