US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said, during his meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, on Tuesday in the city of Ramallah, that Washington opposes any action taken by any party that would make achieving the two-state solution more difficult.
On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the city of Ramallah, on a tour of the region, during which he called for defusing the escalating violence and affirmed Washington's support for the two-state solution.
During the meeting, Blinken stressed that "Washington opposes any action taken by any party that would make achieving the two-state solution more difficult, such as settlement expansion, demolitions and evictions."
"We see a receding horizon of hope for the Palestinians, and this must change," he added, expressing his sorrow over the killing of innocent Palestinians.
On Thursday, the Palestinian leadership took several decisions in response to the killing of 9 Palestinians by Israeli army bullets in Jenin, in the northern West Bank, including stopping security coordination with Israel, going to the Security Council and completing joining international organizations.
The US Secretary of State also praised the determination of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to "work responsibly during a challenging time."
In addition to renewing the call for calm and affirming the United States' support for the two-state solution, Blinken discussed ways to support the Palestinian economy, which relies heavily on foreign aid.
Blinken pledged to provide Washington with an additional 50 million dollars to the United Nations agency concerned with the Palestinians, according to American media
He also explained that the US government had reached an agreement that would provide fourth-generation telecommunications services to Palestinian citizens.
For his part, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas held Israel responsible for the sharp escalation of violence in the West Bank.
Abbas called for "the complete cessation of unilateral Israeli actions that violate signed agreements and international law," reiterating Israel's demand to end the occupation.
He said in a statement, "We are now ready to work with the American administration and the international community for the return of political dialogue in order to end the Israeli occupation of the land of the State of Palestine on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital."
The Voice of Palestine (governmental) radio reported that the meeting, which began between the US minister and the Palestinian president, will discuss "the Israeli escalation and the decisions of the Palestinian leadership in response to the Israeli massacres, and the reopening of the US consulate in East Jerusalem."
The agenda also includes, according to the radio, "Israel's confiscation of Palestinian funds, the occupation's evasion of its obligations, and the decisions of the Palestinian leadership in response to Israeli crimes."
Palestine TV (government) stated that "a number of US officials accompanied Blinken on the visit, including George Noll, head of the Palestinian Affairs Unit at the US Embassy in Jerusalem, Barbara Leaf, Assistant Secretary of State for Middle Eastern Affairs, Hadi Amr, Special Representative for Palestinian Affairs, and US National Security Adviser." Jake Sullivan.
And participating in the meeting from the Palestinian side are "Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh, Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki, and Secretary of the Executive Committee of the PLO, Hussein Al-Sheikh."
Also participating are "Diplomatic Adviser to the Palestinian President Majdi Al-Khalidi and Deputy Prime Minister and member of the Executive Committee of the PLO, Ziyad Abu Amr."
January alone saw 35 Palestinians killed in clashes with Israeli forces, the deadliest month since 2015, while officials say attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinian property have also increased.
Before meeting Abbas, Blinken visited the town of Deir Dibwan, near Ramallah, which is inhabited by many Palestinian Americans, and met leaders of civil society there and businessmen.
Prior to Blinken's arrival, the Palestinian News Agency, Wafa, had published pictures of the Palestinian President's meeting with the Egyptian Intelligence Director, Abbas Kamel, and the Jordanian Intelligence Director, Ahmad Hatuqai, without providing further details.
On Monday, the US Secretary of State arrived in Israel, where he met with senior officials, and left the region on Tuesday evening.
During a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, Blinken called on the Israelis and Palestinians to "stop violence and escalation," and stressed that everything that distances us from the two-state solution harms Israel's security.
He also reaffirmed the United States' "commitment" to Israel's security, as well as "support for interfaith coexistence in Jerusalem."
Blinken's visit comes at a time when the West Bank and East Jerusalem are witnessing a state of great tension, following the Israeli invasion of the Jenin camp (north) last Thursday, which killed 9 Palestinians, followed by two shootings in Jerusalem, one of which killed 7 Israelis.