Palestinian President Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas’ nom de guerre) linked the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza – at the end of the war between Israel and Hamas – to a “political solution” that also includes the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. “The Gaza Strip is an integral part of the State of Palestine, we will assume all our responsibilities within the framework of a comprehensive political solution for the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip,” Abbas said during the meeting with the Secretary of American State Antony Blinken in Ramallah.
Blinken said before Congress on Tuesday that “at some point” the Palestinian Authority should regain control of the Gaza Strip from Hamas and that international third parties could perhaps play a transitional role. “What would make most sense would be for an effective and reinvigorated Palestinian Authority to take responsibility for the governance and, ultimately, the security of Gaza,” he said during an audience on Capitol Hill. Abu Mazen, whose authority was driven out of Gaza by Hamas in 2007, resides in Ramallah and governs only in the West Bank. The last Palestinian legislative elections took place in 2006 and were won by Hamas. Unable to exercise real power despite this victory, the Islamic movement took control of the Gaza Strip by force the following year.
“How can we remain silent about the killing of 10,000 Palestinians, including 4,000 children, tens of thousands injured, and the destruction of tens of thousands of housing units, infrastructure, hospitals, reception centers and water tanks.” President Abu Mazen said this in the meeting with US Secretary Antony Blinken. “What is happening in the West Bank and Jerusalem is no less horrific, in terms of killings and attacks on lands, people and holy sites, at the hands of occupying forces and terrorist settlers, who commit crimes of ethnic cleansing, racial discrimination and piracy of funds”.