When President Trump opened the United States Embassy in Jerusalem, officially acknowledging that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, he moved the Palestinian operations to be under the authority of the ambassador of Israel.
Under the Biden administration, Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a public announcement May 25 that the U.S. will reopen the former consulate, and it will now be the office in charge of diplomatic relations with Palestine.
After meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Secretary Blinken said, “I’m here [in Israel] to underscore the commitment of the United States to rebuilding the relationship with the Palestinian authority and the Palestinian people, a relationship built on mutual respect and also a shared conviction that Palestinians and Israelis alike deserve equal measures of security, freedom opportunity and dignity.”
Due to tensions being high from the 11-day war between Israel and the Palestinian terror group, Hamas, Secretary Blinken traveled to the Middle East in hopes of strengthening the ceasefire agreement. He is promising to help Gaza by rallying international support and giving monetary aid of $40 million to the Palestinians. That puts the total U.S. financial support of the Palestinians to $360 million since Biden took office. Former President Trump had stopped nearly all funding out of concern that the aid was being siphoned to support Hamas terrorism.
Secretary Blinken promises Hamas will have no access to any assistance given by the U.S.
Both the U.S. and Israel classify Hamas as a terrorist organization that fails to recognize the right of Israel to exist as a nation or as a people. The reopening of the U.S. consulate helps support Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in his struggle to regain control against Hamas, which took command of the Gaza region in 2007.
During the recent attacks from Hamas rockets, President Biden did affirm Israel’s right to defend itself against such attacks. {eoa}
John Matarazzo is a digital content specialist for Charisma Media, reports for the Charisma News podcast and is the host of AlongTheWay on the Charisma Podcast Network.
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