Palestinian Authority urges US to re-engage with Middle East amid Ukraine focus

Foreign Affairs Minister Riyad Al Maliki says his government has become closely engaged with China

Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riyad Al Maliki. EPA

The Palestinian Authority said on Thursday that the Joe Biden administration had been a disappointment despite its calls for a two-state solution to end decades of violence, and Washington's growing criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Foreign Affairs Minister Riyad Al Maliki urged the US to re-engage with the Middle East during the war in Ukraine and intense US-China competition in the Pacific, which was draining attention from the decades-long Israel-Palestine crisis.

He said that the Palestinian Authority was increasingly interested in China playing a central role in talks to resolve the conflict, two months after President Mahmoud Abbas met President Xi Jinping in Beijing, where the two leaders signed several economic agreements.

Mr Xi reiterated China’s support for the creation of a Palestinian state, offering what he called “Chinese wisdom” to foster peace talks.

Mr Al Maliki said Mr Biden, by contrast, had been a disappointment.

"As a good gesture from our side, we re-engaged with his administration. And we continue, hoping they will have the strength and courage to go forward in that direction," he said, referring to the US committment to a two-state solution.

"They have not. They are the only administration in some time to not appoint an envoy to the Middle East peace process. They didn’t bring a plan either. Their priority is Russia, Ukraine, China. Not us.

“As a candidate [Mr Biden] made very clear statements regarding the two-state solution. When he was elected he immediately phoned my president and reiterated the same position," he said.

"We expected that the moment he’d take office he would do them. We thought he would take measures to reverse the actions of the Trump administration when it comes to moving the embassy to Jerusalem, closing the Palestinian representative office in Washington, and financial support to the Palestinian Authority."

On Thursday in Ramallah, Mr Al Maliki said the government of the occupied territory was in contact with the new head of the International Criminal Court to discuss Israel’s human rights offences in the occupied West Bank.

He said that this was taking place amid growing international recognition that a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict was the only viable way to end the violence that has killed at least 150 Palestinians and 26 Israelis this year, in some of the worst violence since the year 2000 intifada, or uprising, against Israeli forces.

“The process has started. It is very slow. That’s always the case with the ICC. We are trying to understand where our case stands. The ICC head informed us about all the developments. And we will continue.”

Despite the growing international condemnation of Israeli raids in the West Bank, there was pessimism that Washington can change the status quo, after a series of lethal Israeli raids in the Jenin refugee camp in June and July that left dozens killed and wounded.

“Biden is not Trump and he came to change Trump policies. It seems he has wanted to do that more widely, but not when it comes to Palestine. Three years have passed and he has not reversed any. The only step he has taken is to renew financial support to UNRWA, to give some support to hospitals in East Jerusalem,” Mr Al Maliki said.

China's peace plan

Because of what he characterised as lacklustre support, Mr Al Maliki said his government was increasingly turning to China for assistance.

“China wants to increase its presence in the Middle East. That’s for sure. Not just economically, but politically, to reflect its internal weight.

In June, China reiterated its vision for a peace agreement, including a Palestinian state based on Israel's pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, and a development plan for the new state.

"Many countries around the world are seeking China’s support. It is becoming a very important global player. We have signed a document elevating our relationship to strategic partnership. Very few countries have reached that level with China. It is very important for us,” Mr Al Maliki said.

“When it comes to the Middle East peace process, there is no process and there is no peace. If it really happens in the future, which I doubt, why not include China? China is giving certain signals that they want to help.

"Maybe not take the lead, but at least be connected to such an international drive. China has made their position clear when it comes to Israel and Palestine, and Palestine’s full membership of the UN. We appreciate their position very much,” he said.

President Xi said during Mr Abbas’s June visit that a Palestinian state was a “just cause”.