The Biden administration has now had more official contacts with Palestinian officials in its first two weeks than the Trump administration in its last three years.
Why it’s important: Deputy Secretary of State for Israel-Palestine Hady Amr spoke by telephone with several Palestinian officials on Monday. These were the first publicly announced interactions between the sides as the Biden administration renewed ties that had effectively been severed since Donald Trump announced in December 2017 that he would move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. .
What they say: “We discussed bilateral relations, the latest developments and politics. It was a positive conversation. It was agreed to continue communication, “Palestinian Civil Affairs Minister Hussein al-Sheikh tweeted after speaking with Amr.
The big picture: The Biden administration plans to backtrack on many of Trump’s policies on Israel-Palestine.
- According to Biden administration officials, the United States will resume aid to the Palestinians and reopen the Palestine Liberation Organization’s office in Washington, as well as the consulate in Jerusalem.
- The Biden administration will oppose the annexation, construction of settlements and demolition of Palestinian housing by Israel.
It is necessary to emphasize: Amr will be one of the key actors in the formulation of the administration’s policies on Israel-Palestine. He is highly respected by Palestinian officials, who see him as a balanced actor.
- The Biden administration has no plans to appoint a special envoy for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, and the issue will be dealt with primarily by the State Department.
The last: Palestinian news website Amad reported on Saturday that Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh and Palestinian Intelligence Director Majed Faraj also spoke by phone with Amr.
- Shtayyeh confirmed that they discussed the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem and the reopening of the PLO office in Washington, along with the renewal of U.S. financial aid to the Palestinian Authority and the US agency. United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees, UNRWA.