US President Joe Biden said yesterday that the United States supports the two-state solution, noting that Palestinian people should feel hopeful even if the ground is not ripe to restart negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis.
In a joint press conference with his Palestinian counterpart President Mahmoud Abbas, Biden said: “The Palestinian people deserve a state of their own that’s independent, sovereign, viable, and contiguous. Two states for two peoples, both of whom have deep and ancient roots in this land, living side by side in peace and security. Both states fully respecting the equal rights of the other citizens. Both peoples enjoying equal measure of freedom and dignity. That’s what this is fundamentally all about.”
Biden underlined that the US would not give up on peace, adding that Palestinian people should feel hopeful.
He called on the Palestinian authority to play a key role in strengthening institutions, transparency, accountability and fighting corruption.
For his part, President Abbas said that Israel must end its occupation of the territories of the State of Palestine, including East Jerusalem as its capital according to the 1967 borders.
Abbas added that he stressed to President Biden the importance of restoring the foundations of the peace process based on international legitimacy resolutions and the two-state solution on the 1967 borders.
Abbas pointed out that after 74 years of the Nakba, displacement and occupation, it is time for this occupation to end, for Palestinian people to gain their freedom and independence.
Abbas urged the US to turn the page on the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land, end the acts of racial discrimination (apartheid) against Palestinians, reopen the US consulate in East Jerusalem, remove the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) from the US terrorist list and reopen its office in Washington.
The Palestinian president pointed out that only if Israel ends its occupation of the territories of the State of Palestine, including East Jerusalem, it will be accepted to live in peace, security and good neighbourhood with countries and peoples of the region.
Abbas stressed his full readiness to co-operate with the administration of President Biden to remove all obstacles to strong bilateral relations between the Palestinian and American sides, including removing the PLO from the US terrorist list and reopening the US consulate in East Jerusalem.
Earlier, President Abbas met with President Biden. The two sides discussed the latest political developments, the Palestinian issue, and bilateral relations.
Meanwhile, President Biden pledged a $100mn support for Palestinian hospitals in East Jerusalem, noting that the United States has supported Jerusalem hospitals by $85mn since 2014.
President Biden arrived yesterday in Jeddah for a two-day official visit to Saudi Arabia at the invitation of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud.
King Salman later met with President Biden. The meeting dealt with reviewing bilateral relations and the means to enhance them in all fields.
Saudi Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister Prince Mohamed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz discussed yesterday with President Biden bilateral co-operation in a number of fields.
The two sides discussed, in an official talks session, ways to deal with the challenges facing the region and the world.
US President Joe Biden (File picture)
