The head of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, said that the Palestinian National Authority, which he heads, is ready to assume full responsibility for the Gaza Strip as part of a comprehensive political solution.
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who arrived on an unannounced visit to the West Bank on Sunday, held talks with Abbas in Ramallah.
According to him, such a solution should include the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip at the end of the war between Hamas and Israel.
Previously, the Abbas administration distanced itself from the idea of taking over the Gaza Strip, saying that it did not want to “enter there with Israeli tanks.”
Abbas stressed that security and peace can only be achieved by ending Israeli military control over the territories of the “State of Palestine” and recognizing East Jerusalem as its capital.
The status of East Jerusalem has been one of the main stumbling blocks in negotiations to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict for decades.
Palestinians are seeking recognition of the eastern part of the city, where the sacred sites of three world religions are located, as the capital of a future Palestinian state, while Israel views all of Jerusalem as its sole and indivisible capital.
Abbas also noted that the Palestinian Liberation Organization, which administers the autonomy, is the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Blinken “reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to delivering vital humanitarian assistance and restoring essential services” in the Gaza Strip.
Blinken also made it clear that Palestinians “should not be subjected to forced displacement,” Miller said.
Blinken and Abbas discussed efforts to “restore peace and stability” to the West Bank, including the need to “stop extremist violence against Palestinians and hold those responsible to account,” he added.
Miller said Blinken reiterated that the US remains “committed to ensuring equal dignity and security for both Palestinians and Israelis.”
Blinken also expressed the US commitment to working to “realize the legitimate Palestinian aspirations for a Palestinian state.”
Source: Racurs
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.