Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister, Riyad al-Maliki explains the reasons why the PA is turning away from the US and building stronger ties with China.
As the US Joe Biden administration has been a disappointment for them, Palestine is “increasingly turning to China”, said the Palestinian Foreign Minister on Thursday, Anadolu news agency reported.
“Three years have passed since President (Joe) Biden’s promises, but we have seen nothing other than financial support to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and hospitals in East Jerusalem,” Riyad Al-Maliki told reporters at Foreign Ministry headquarters in the Occupied West Bank.
Maliki expressed the PA’s frustration with the US position on Israel’s violations, including its recent attacks in the northern West Bank city of Jenin.
The Biden administration has been a disappointment, he said.
On China
Now Palestine is turning more to China, which supports Palestine’s quest for “full UN membership”, Maliki said.
“China not only seeks to increase its economic presence but also its political presence in the Middle East. Many countries in the world want China’s support as it has become a significant global player,” he added.
“There is no peace process in the Middle East. If there is one in the future, why shouldn’t China be involved alongside other countries?” he asked.
On Normalization
Regarding recent claims of normalization efforts between Israel and Saudi Arabia, Maliki stressed that Saudi Arabia has embraced the two-state solution as a condition for normalization with Israel, which includes the establishment of an independent Palestinian State within the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
He added:
“We hope that Saudi Arabia will maintain its stance and not yield to any pressure. We want Saudi Arabia to listen to us, the rightful owners, and consult on this matter. Palestinian-Saudi relations are strong, and we trust them.”
Peace negotiations between the Palestinian Authority and Israel came to a halt in April 2014 due to factors such as Israel’s continued construction and expansion of illegal Jewish settlements in the Occupied West Bank, and Tel Aviv’s rejection of a two-state solution.
Washington is Israel’s biggest financial and military backer in the world. It’s estimated military financial support to Israel alone is estimated at $3.8 billion, in addition to hundreds of millions in other types of aid.
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Washington is also a strong defender of Israel at international institutions, including the United Nations Security Council.
The US government, however, insists to be an ‘honest broker’ between Palestine and Israel.
(MEMO, PC, AA)
