WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Biden administration is drawing up a plan to re-establish US ties with the Palestinians, who have almost collapsed under former President Donald Trump, according to a domestic draft note.
Two people familiar with the State Department document, which was first reported by The National newspaper in the United Arab Emirates, said they were still in an early “working stage”, but could eventually form the basis. for the resumption of parts of Trump’s approach that the Palestinians denounced him as a strong supporter of Israel.
Since President Joe Biden took office on January 20, his aides have said he intends to repair relations with the Palestinians. The administration has pledged to raise hundreds of millions of dollars in economic and humanitarian assistance and work to reopen the Palestinian diplomatic mission in Washington.
Biden’s aides also said they want to re-establish the goal of a two-state negotiated solution as a priority in US Israeli-Palestinian conflict policy. But they moved cautiously, given the Israeli elections of March 23, followed by the Palestinian elections scheduled for the coming months.
Part of the draft note quoted by The National said that the US vision is “to promote freedom, security and prosperity for both Israelis and Palestinians in the immediate term.”
The document was quoted as saying that the COVID-19 pandemic aid for the Palestinians could be announced by the end of March. It also reports that it will take a tougher stance on Israeli settlement activities and mentions efforts “to achieve a Palestinian commitment to end payments to individuals imprisoned (by Israel) for acts of terrorism.”
A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the document was a preliminary draft that could be revised and any final version would require an inter-agency review.
“We have no comment on that specific memo,” US State Department spokeswoman Jalina Porter told reporters in a daily briefing.
Report by Matt Spetalnick in Washington, additional report by Rami Ayyub in Tel Aviv; edited by Grant McCool