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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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Arab World

Charity Accuses Israel of Deadly Strike on Gaza Office Building

A Palestinian girl runs past the ruins of destroyed buildings along the Gaza City shoreline on Monday, June 9, 2025. (AP)
A Palestinian girl runs past the ruins of destroyed buildings along the Gaza City shoreline on Monday, June 9, 2025. (AP)
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Charity Accuses Israel of Deadly Strike on Gaza Office Building

A Palestinian girl runs past the ruins of destroyed buildings along the Gaza City shoreline on Monday, June 9, 2025. (AP)
A Palestinian girl runs past the ruins of destroyed buildings along the Gaza City shoreline on Monday, June 9, 2025. (AP)

Medical charity Medecins du Monde Wednesday accused Israel of violating international law with drone strikes on a building housing one of its offices in war-torn Gaza that killed eight people, none of them staff.

The France-based aid group said in a statement the attack on Tuesday "constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law, which protects both civilian populations and humanitarian organizations operating in conflict zones".

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"Yesterday morning, at around 11:00 am local time, a building in Deir al-Balah housing a Medecins du Monde office was attacked by drones," the aid group said.

Its staff had not been present as they had been off as part of the Eid al-Adha holiday, it added.

"At least eight people were killed in the bombardment. All were on the last floor of the building," it said, without providing more details on those killed.

"Medecins du Monde had informed the Israeli military of the presence of its office, which had officially been declared 'deconflicted', or shielded from Israeli military attacks under humanitarian coordination agreements," it said.

"However, as during previous Israeli attacks, the team received no forward warning that would have allowed it to evacuate the building or take measures to protect anyone inside," it added.

Several other non-governmental organizations as well as Palestinians displaced by the war are based in the same area, it said.

- Risk of famine -

Israel is facing mounting pressure to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza, whose entire population the United Nations has warned is at risk of famine.

Medecins du Monde last month, after more than two months of a total blockade on Gaza, accused Israel of using hunger as "a weapon of war" in the Palestinian territory.

Israel recently allowed some deliveries to resume through the newly formed, US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

But the United Nations refuses to work with it, citing concerns over its practices and neutrality.

Dozens of people have been killed near GHF distribution points since late May, according to Gaza's civil defense agency. It said Israeli forces killed 31 people waiting for aid early on Wednesday.

The Palestinian group Hamas on October 7, 2023 attacked Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,219 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures.

The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says the retaliatory Israeli military offensive has killed at least 54,981 people, the majority civilians. The United Nations considers these figures to be reliable.

Out of 251 taken hostage during the Hamas attack, 54 are still held in Gaza including 32 the Israeli military says are dead.