Smoke rises in Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, as seen from Southern Israel, December 15, 2023. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne/File Photo Acquire Licensing Rights Summary Abbas is spectator amid Gaza war, West Bank violence U.S. officials see PA as the only option to run post-war Gaza US wants Abbas to revamp PA, bring in new blood, end corruption Ending Israeli occupation must come first, Abbas says Dec 16 (Reuters) – A succession of top U.S. officials have travelled to the West Bank in recent weeks to meet with Mahmoud Abbas in the hope the 88-year-old – a spectator in the war between Israel and Hamas – can overhaul his unpopular Palestinian Authority enough to run Gaza after the conflict. An architect of the 1993 Oslo peace accords with Israel that raised hopes of Palestinian statehood, Abbas has seen his legitimacy steadily undermined by Israeli settlement building in the occupied West Bank, which he oversees. Many Palestinians now regard his administration as corrupt, undemocratic and out of touch. Advertisement · Scroll to continue But in the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, President Joe Biden has made it clear that he wants to see a revitalized Palestinian Authority – which Abbas has run since 2005 – take charge in Gaza once the conflict is over, unifying its administration with the West Bank. Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security advisor, met with Abbas on Friday, becoming the latest senior U.S. official to urge him to implement rapid change. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters after meeting the Palestinian leader in late November that they discussed the need for reforms to combat corruption, empower civil society and support a free press. Advertisement · Scroll to continue Three Palestinian and one senior regional official briefed […]
Click here to visit source. US wants shakeup of Palestinian Authority to run Gaza after Hamas