U.S. President Joe Biden confirmed today, Saturday, that the Palestinian Authority should ultimately govern Gaza and the West Bank following the war between Israel and Hamas. In an opinion piece published by the Washington Post, he stated that the United States is prepared to impose visa bans on "extremists" who attack civilians in the West Bank. He emphasized, "There should be no forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, no reoccupation, no siege, and no reduction of territory."
Biden used the article to address what the United States wants for Gaza once the conflict is over. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel must maintain "overall military responsibility" for Gaza "for the foreseeable future." Biden also reiterated the U.S. readiness to issue visa bans on "extremists" attacking civilians in the West Bank.
Violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank has escalated since Hamas's attack on Israel. Biden remarked, "I have stressed to Israeli leaders the necessity of stopping extremist violence against Palestinians in the West Bank and holding perpetrators of violence accountable." The West Bank, home to three million Palestinians living alongside over half a million Jewish settlers, has been in turmoil for more than 18 months, raising increasing international concerns as violence escalates.
