Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has called on the Biden administration to step in in order to put an end to "Israeli aggression" and help find a political solution to the ongoing crisis on the border with Gaza, the WAFA news agency reported on Monday.
This call was made during Abbas' meeting with US Deputy Assistant Secretary for Israeli and Palestinian Affairs Hady Amr, during which they discussed the situation in Jerusalem and the continued violence in the Gaza Strip, which has killed over 200 Palestinians.
The Palestinian leader noted that the political solution to the conflict should be based on UN resolutions and international law, the state media reported. Abbas reiterated that "ending the military occupation of the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, is a prerequisite for regional security and stability."
Abbas highlighted that the Palestinian Authority stood ready to cooperate with the international Middle East Quartet — the United States, Russia, the EU and the UN — with a view to attaining a just and comprehensive peace that would guarantee the Palestinian people's inherent rights to freedom and independence.
The Palestinian leader also thanked US President Joe Biden for resuming American assistance to the nation through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which was cut under the Trump administration.
In turn, Amr stressed the need to defuse regional tensions, and pointed out that Washington has made concerted efforts with all parties to put an end to the hostilities.
In early April, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the US was planning to restore $235 million in aid to Palestinians, including development and economic funding, peace-building programs and humanitarian support for UNRWA.
The current episode of the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict broke out last week on the border of Israel and the Gaza Strip. Ongoing violence sparked demonstrations in support for both Israel and the Palestinian Authority across the world, with protesters calling on the international community to take urgent measures.
On Sunday, the UN Security Council gathered to discuss possible steps to end the hostilities.
