The Palestinian presidency called on Saturday for the U.S. administration to act and force Israel to stop its "war of extermination and its crimes" in Gaza and the West Bank. The presidency stated in a statement that the U.S. administration bears responsibility for Israeli decisions that "ignite the region and push towards a comprehensive explosion."
It emphasized that "the Israeli government's attempts to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state will fail." The Palestinian presidency added that "the Israeli cabinet's approval of the legalization of five settlement outposts in the West Bank is part of the overall war against the Palestinian people."
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jacob Liu called during a conference in Herzliya, Israel, for a reformed Palestinian authority to play a key role in the governance of Gaza after the war in the territory ends.
The U.S. ambassador stated, "The Palestinian Authority must be part of the next day" after the war in Gaza, stressing the need for "civil administration" for the sector that has been devastated by eight and a half months of war. Liu added, "We must find a way to have these people work together in a way that meets everyone's needs. I believe this is possible," noting that the presence of the Palestinian Authority in Gaza could also be beneficial for Israel, which seeks to eliminate Hamas.
The U.S. ambassador reiterated that the United States supports a "two-state solution," meaning a viable Palestinian state living side by side with Israel and ensuring the "security and dignity" of Palestinians in both the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. Liu warned that "describing this as a victory for Hamas would be taking things in the opposite direction," referring to the Israeli government's view that the establishment of a Palestinian state would be a "reward" for the movement after the unprecedented attack it launched on Israel on October 7.
The Palestinian Authority, led by Mahmoud Abbas, has only governed the West Bank since it was ousted from Gaza by Hamas in 2007, and Washington is calling for reforms in the authority so it can play a key role in the upcoming political structure of the region.
