“We will live up to our responsibilities fully, but within the framework of a global political solution that includes the entire West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip”: on his heavily armored surprise visit to Ramallah, before the equally unexpected one in Baghdad, Antony Blinken receives the Palestinian Authority President Abu Mazen’s commitment to take over the future administration of Gaza, but under one condition that the US must make clear to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: the two-state solution.
The Biden administration has never stopped supporting this solution, which is now the only possible solution and involves three steps: eliminating Hamas from Gaza; the creation of an international peacekeeping force under the auspices of the United Nations with Arab, but perhaps also European, soldiers and the entrustment of the government of the Gaza Strip with the PNA, which already administers the West Bank. For the post-war period in Gaza and the resumption of peace negotiations with Israel, the White House has decided to bet on Abu Mazen, although he is an older leader (87 years old) and discredited in the eyes of his people: certainly not the ideal partner, but the only one with whom one can resume dialogue and try to heal the deep wounds caused by the Hamas attack and Israel’s response. “Washington believes that the Palestinian Authority must play a central role in what happens after Gaza,” he was told by Blinken, who in recent days in Congress had already proposed that the Gaza Strip government be part of an “effective and revitalized Palestinian Authority.” other countries and international organizations temporarily play a role in ensuring its safety.
At their hour-long meeting, Abu Mazen condemned the Israeli bombings as a “genocidal war” and called for an immediate ceasefire to provide humanitarian aid. A similar request to that of the foreign ministers of the Arab countries made yesterday by Blinken, who consider it premature to talk about the future of the Gaza Strip without first ceasing hostilities, even if they essentially support the US plan. However, the head of American diplomacy rules out a ceasefire, convinced it would help Hamas reorganize, and insists on limited humanitarian breaks for the release of hostages and the delivery of aid, the flow of which is currently “seriously inadequate.” ” be. But Netanyahu is not giving up and is becoming an increasingly problematic ally for Biden: “There will be no ceasefire until our hostages come back. We have said this to our friends and enemies. We will continue until we defeat them.” For his part, Blinken reiterated to Abu Mazen “the commitment to providing life-saving humanitarian assistance and resuming essential services in Gaza” and made it clear that “Palestinians must not be forcibly displaced.” He also discussed with the Palestinian leader “efforts to restore calm and stability in the West Bank, including the need to stop extremist violence against Palestinians and provide accountability,” a reference to victims of shootings by Israeli soldiers or settlers after October 7.
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