Joe Biden restored humanitarian aid to Palestine and reiterated his support for the ‘two state solution’

The government of United States President Joe Biden on Wednesday announced the resumption of humanitarian, economic and development aid for Palestinians, after being retained during the administration of his predecessor, Donald Trump (2017-2021).

“President Biden he also asserted that the United States supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict “The White House said in a statement about a phone call between the president and King Abdullah of Jordan on Wednesday.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also reported in a statement Reactivation of US support for United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) programs not only in Gaza and the West Bank, but also in countries where it serves displaced people such as Lebanon, Jordan and Syria.

More specifically, the US executive will allocate $ 150 million in humanitarian aid to UNRWA; $ 75 million for assistance to Gaza and the West Bank and $ 10 million for peacebuilding programs, which it will channel through its Agency for International Development (USAID).

Blinken detailed that all these funds are in addition to the $ 15 million the Biden administration announced in February to support Palestinians during the COVID-19 pandemic and tackle food insecurity in the region.

“The United States is deeply committed to ensuring that our collaboration with UNRWA promotes neutrality, accountability and transparency“Blinken said.

The foreign minister stressed that his country’s foreign aid to the Palestinians “serves the important interests and values ​​of the United States.”

“Provides life-saving aid to those who need it most, promotes economic development and supports understanding between Israelis and Palestinians, coordination of security and stability ”, listing.

And Blinken also urged, in addition, to move towards a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on the two-state solution.

The Biden administration’s approach is consistent with the historic US position on the issue but contrasts with that of Trump, who has focused his Middle East strategy on measures and proposals frontally rejected by the Palestinian authorities, and it included historic agreements between Arab countries and Israel that changed the regional paradigm of conflict.

The decisions of the previous US government led the Palestinian National Authority to sever relations with Washington, especially following the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel against the international consensus.

Executive Biden has already made it known many times that he wants to mend these relationships and that it is committed to a two-state solution, in accordance with what the majority of the international community stands for. But this is the first time that the president himself has mentioned it in an official capacity and in dialogue with a head of state in the region.

With information from AFP and EFE

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