The Palestinian Authority is trying to close gaps with the Americans and reach agreements on a number of issues before President Biden arrives in Bethlehem. There is disagreement between the parties regarding the wording of the joint statement that will be issued at the end of the meeting between Biden and PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Friday.
A senior Palestinian official commented that the PA had asked the Americans to include in a statement an American commitment to open the consulate in eastern Jerusalem, along with removing the PLO from its list of terrorist organizations and opening PA offices in Washington.
"We want it to be clearly worded with a formal commitment to actual implementation and a schedule. So far there is no agreement," the senior said.
On June 1, the London-based Arabic newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported that Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has informed the United States, Egypt and Jordan that he will implement the PLO's central council decision to sever ties with Israel in lieu of the Jerusalem Day events.
According to the report, Abbas' move came after Jordanian and Egyptian efforts failed to persuade the US administration to adopt a plan to open a political process towards the establishment of a Palestinian state.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke to Abbas, and the two discussed "the importance of Israelis and Palestinians working to maintain calm and de-escalate tensions with Blinken emphasizing the importance of the U.S.-Palestinian relationship, and the Administration’s support for a negotiated two-state solution."
The conversation between Blinken and Abbas came hours after Price told reporters that the Biden administration remains "committed to opening a Palestinian consulate in Jerusalem."
“We continue to believe it can be an important way for our country to engage with and provide support to the Palestinian people,” Price was quoted as saying.
“There are a number of steps that go into the reopening of any diplomatic facility. As you know, there are some unique sensitivities to this particular facility,” added Price.
The Biden administration has repeatedly expressed its desire to reopen the consulate despite Israel's firm opposition to the presence of a consulate for a foreign entity in its own capital.
The PA had a tense relationship with the Trump administration and had boycotted the US since 2017, in protest of Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and the relocation of the US embassy in Israel to the city.
However, since taking office, the Biden administration has renewed ties with the PA and had been crafting a plan aimed at “resetting” US ties with the organization.
In one move, the Biden administration announced it intends to resume aid to UNRWA as well as other aid to the PA which was suspended by the Trump administration.
In January, senior US and PA officials met virtually to renew the US-Palestinian Economic Dialogue for the first time in five years.