The United States is developing an initiative to form a Palestinian unity government that the Americans hope will end the split between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas and bring calm to the West Bank and Gaza Strip, i24NEWS has learned.
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An Israeli government source told i24NEWS that the government has not taken a position on the plan being worked out by the administration of US President Joe Biden.
The US hopes that the initiative will prepare the ground for the economic rehabilitation of the PA and become the basis for long-term peace and stability in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The proposed unity government would include Hamas representatives, Fatah and economic professionals who are not affiliated with a political party.
"The Palestinian Authority will not respond to any American initiative as long as there is no decision regarding the opening of the consulate," PA Minister for Social Development Dr. Ahmad al-Majdalani told i24NEWS.
Al-Majdalani was referring to the Biden administration's stated intention of reopening a US consulate serving Palestinians in Jerusalem, a move which the Israeli government opposes and about which the Biden administration has not made an official decision.
Former US President Donald Trump closed the Jerusalem consulate in 2019 and moved its staff to the US Embassy to Israel, which was moved to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv in 2018.
This article was first published by i24NEWS.
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