Palestinians have no hopes from Biden’s visit

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – The Palestinian Authority does not pin high hopes on US President Joe Biden’s current visit to the region, a senior official has said.

Biden’s visit “aims to enhance US support to Israel at all levels and to provide it with protection against accountability for its crimes,” Wasel Abu Yousef, an Executive Committee member of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) said.

“Talking about Middle Eastern alliances and integrating Israel with other countries in the region as if it’s not an occupying state is transforming the conflict and showing the Palestinian cause as if it’s a secondary issue,” he lamented.

The Palestinian official called on the US to abide by its commitments regarding the reopening of the US Consulate in East Jerusalem, reopening the PLO office in Washington and supporting the two-states solution.

The PLO office in Washington was closed in 2018 as well as the US Consulate in East Jerusalem during the term of former US President Donald Trump. It still remains closed.

Abu Yousef noted that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ planned meeting with Biden was scheduled not to last for more than 45 minutes.

“So, there is no hope from this visit.” he said.

Biden arrived in Israel earlier Wednesday as part of his regional tour since he became president. The tour also includes the West Bank and Saudi Arabia.

On the other hand, in his speech upon arrival, Biden described the relationship between Israel and the US as ‘deeper and stronger than ever before.’

The US president said, “… the connection between the Israeli people and the American people is bone deep. It’s bone deep.

“And generation after generation, that connection grows. We invest in each other. We dream together. We’re part of what has always been the objective we both have.”

The US president is scheduled to fly directly from Israel to Saudi Arabia on Friday to participate in an Arab regional summit in Jeddah city with the participation of Arab leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Iraq, Jordan and Egypt.