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Ramallah Hosts Palestinian-US Economic Dialogue

Activists wave a Palestinian flag outside the White House during a memorial for Palestinians who have died during the past year of Israeli-Palestinian violence, in Washington, US, June 5, 2021. REUTERS/Erin Scott/File Photo
Activists wave a Palestinian flag outside the White House during a memorial for Palestinians who have died during the past year of Israeli-Palestinian violence, in Washington, US, June 5, 2021. REUTERS/Erin Scott/File Photo
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Ramallah Hosts Palestinian-US Economic Dialogue

Activists wave a Palestinian flag outside the White House during a memorial for Palestinians who have died during the past year of Israeli-Palestinian violence, in Washington, US, June 5, 2021. REUTERS/Erin Scott/File Photo
Activists wave a Palestinian flag outside the White House during a memorial for Palestinians who have died during the past year of Israeli-Palestinian violence, in Washington, US, June 5, 2021. REUTERS/Erin Scott/File Photo

The Palestinian and US governments on Sunday announced the start of the US-Palestinian Economic Dialogue (USPED) to discuss current and future areas of economic cooperation.

The dialogue is scheduled to kick off on Monday. It is the fourth organized by the two sides since 2004 and the second under the current US administration.

USPED was interrupted under the Trump administration and then resumed in 2021 for the first time in five years.

A joint statement by the Palestinian and US governments said the economic dialogue is launched in light of US President Joe Biden’s commitment to achieving a two-state solution, including the existence of an independent, sovereign, and geographically connected state of Palestine, with freedom, security and prosperity for all.

USPED sessions will be chaired by Minister of National Economy Khaled al-Osaily on the Palestinian side, and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs at the State Department, Whitney Baird on the US side.

This senior-level dialogue will also bring together a wide range of agencies and ministries from the two governments.

Participants will discuss several crucial issues to advance the economic prosperity of the Palestinian people, increase the dynamism of the productive sectors, especially trade, industry, renewable energy, and financial issues.

They will also review the implementation of previous discussed key topics, including infrastructure development, access to US markets, US regulations, free trade, financial issues, renewable energy and environmental initiatives, connecting Palestinian and American businesses, and addressing obstacles to Palestinian economic development.

This year, the Palestinian government is going through its worst financial crisis since the establishment of the Palestinian Authority due to precipitous decline in foreign aid, Israel’s ongoing deduction of tax revenues, and the repercussions of confronting the COVID-19 pandemic.

In April 2021, Washington announced the Biden Administration's plan to resume various forms of aid to the Palestinians.

The administration provided more than $890 million in aid to the Palestinian people, including humanitarian aid and through UNRWA support.

As for the volume of trade exchange between Palestine and the US, it amounts to about $100 million.

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Body of Mohammed Sinwar Identified

Palestinians inspecting the site of an Israeli airstrike near the European Hospital in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday. Hatem Khaled/Reuters
Palestinians inspecting the site of an Israeli airstrike near the European Hospital in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday. Hatem Khaled/Reuters
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Body of Mohammed Sinwar Identified

Palestinians inspecting the site of an Israeli airstrike near the European Hospital in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday. Hatem Khaled/Reuters
Palestinians inspecting the site of an Israeli airstrike near the European Hospital in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday. Hatem Khaled/Reuters

Israeli authorities said on Sunday they identified the body of Hamas' military chief Mohammed al-Sinwar that was earlier retrieved from a tunnel underneath the European Hospital in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, following a targeted operation last month.

Al-Sinwar is the chief commander of Hamas's military wing and the younger brother of slain Hamas leader Yehya al-Sinwar.

“The body of al-Sinwar, is now in Israeli custody,” the Israeli army confirmed Sunday following a completed identification process, according to Yedioth Ahronoth.

Authorities gave no further details about the other bodies found in the interconnected tunnel complex.

Earlier, the Israeli Radio channel said the bodies of 10 other Palestinian Hamas members and leaders were recovered from the tunnel.

The bodies were recovered during a special military operation.

“The Israeli military released footage showing the underground infrastructure beneath the hospital, including a command-and-control center reportedly used by senior Hamas commanders to direct combat operations,” Yedioth Ahronoth said.

It added that the operation began last Wednesday evening. Prior to the raid, the hospital had been evacuated.

Later, the government media office in Gaza denied the Israeli military claims that the tunnel was found beneath the European Hospital.

The office said the video released by the Israeli army shows a narrow metal pipe that cannot fit a person, has no stairs or equipment and is located in an area used for rainwater drainage.

It also said the Israeli forces dug the site themselves and staged the footage near the hospital’s emergency department, which remains crowded with patients.

On May 21, two Palestinian sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that al-Sinwar was killed alongside other Hamas figures in an Israeli airstrike on an underground tunnel near the European Hospital east of Khan Younis.

One source said the bodies were moved from one tunnel to another for temporary burial. “They were buried underground due to security concerns,” the source added.

“Hamas informed the families that the remains were not brought above ground and are expected to remain buried in the tunnels until the security situation allows for proper funerals,” the sources said.

A second source told Asharq Al-Awsat that Qassam Brigades special units entered the collapsed tunnel after the bombing and recovered several bodies.

The source said the method used to retrieve the bodies mirrored that of previous operations, including the recovery of senior Hamas officials Rawhi Mushtaha and Sameh al-Siraj, whose deaths were also confirmed posthumously.