Washington Affirms Commitment to Two-state Solution, Reopening US Consulate in Jerusalem

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan - (DPA)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan - (DPA)
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Washington Affirms Commitment to Two-state Solution, Reopening US Consulate in Jerusalem

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan - (DPA)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan - (DPA)

United States National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan assured Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that Washington is committed to the two-state solution it promised to the Palestinians.

This came during the “frank and clear" talks between Abbas and Sullivan on Thursday, said the Palestinian presidency spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudeineh.

Abbas said Palestinians are still waiting for President Joe Biden to implement his promises regarding the two-state solution, halting settlements, not displacing Jerusalemite citizens and reopening the US Consulate in East Jerusalem.

According to Abu Rudeineh, Sullivan affirmed that the administration is keen to resolve all these issues.

He told Bennett that Biden is committed to the two-state solution, plans to reopen the US consulate in Jerusalem and has reservations about all the settlement measures, the spokesman added.

The meeting took place following the top US official’s recent meetings with Israeli officials which focused on Iran’s nuclear plans.

Abbas and Sullivan agreed on the importance of joint action by all relevant parties to achieve peace and stability in the region.

Sullivan conveyed Biden’s greetings to Abbas and his affirmation of the US commitment to the two-state solution.

Abbas, for his part, briefed Sullivan on the latest developments in the Palestinian territories, urging the US to put an end to settlement activities and settlers's attacks.

He underscored the importance of respecting the historical situation in Al-Aqsa Mosque, ending the expulsion of Palestinian residents from Jerusalem neighborhoods, halting tax cuts and the stifling of the Palestinian economy.

“Abbas stressed the need to end unilateral Israeli practices that undermine the two-state solution and implement the signed agreements to start a real political process, in line with the international legitimacy and UN resolutions.”

He also underlined the importance of bolstering bilateral ties and overcoming the obstacles that hinder their development.



Britain 'Taking Forward' Gaza Food Airdrop Plan, Says PM Starmer's Office

A volunteer distributes rations of red lentil soup to displaced Palestinians in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on February 18, 2024. (Photo by SAID KHATIB / AFP)
A volunteer distributes rations of red lentil soup to displaced Palestinians in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on February 18, 2024. (Photo by SAID KHATIB / AFP)
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Britain 'Taking Forward' Gaza Food Airdrop Plan, Says PM Starmer's Office

A volunteer distributes rations of red lentil soup to displaced Palestinians in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on February 18, 2024. (Photo by SAID KHATIB / AFP)
A volunteer distributes rations of red lentil soup to displaced Palestinians in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on February 18, 2024. (Photo by SAID KHATIB / AFP)

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Saturday spoke to his French and German counterparts and outlined UK plans to get aid to people in Gaza and evacuate sick and injured children, his office said.

"The prime minister set out how the UK will also be taking forward plans to work with partners such as Jordan to airdrop aid and evacuate children requiring medical assistance," a statement said, AFP reported.

In a phone conversation, Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz discussed the humanitarian situation in Gaza "which they agreed is appalling".

"They all agreed it would be vital to ensure robust plans are in place to turn an urgently needed ceasefire into lasting peace," according to a readout released by Downing Street.

"They discussed their intention to work closely together on a plan.... which would pave the way to a long-term solution and security in the region. They agreed that once this plan was worked up, they would seek to bring in other key partners, including in the region, to advance it," it added.

The discussion comes a day after UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres slammed the international community for turning a blind eye to widespread starvation in the Gaza Strip, calling it a "moral crisis that challenges the global conscience".

Aid groups have warned of surging cases of starvation, particularly among children, in war-ravaged Gaza, which Israel placed under an aid blockade in March amid its ongoing war with Hamas. That blockade was partially eased two months later.

The trickle of aid since then has been controlled by the Israeli- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.