Abbas congratulates Biden as Palestinians celebrate Trump’s defeat
Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas congratulated U.S. President-elect Joe Biden in a statement on Sunday and alluded to the possibility that the P.A. would end its boycott of the administration in Washington when he assumes office.
Then-U.S. Vice President Joe Biden meets with Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on March 9, 2016. Photo by Flash90.
Abbas ceased dealing with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump in 2017, after its official recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
“I congratulate President-elect Joe Biden on his victory as president of the United States of America for the coming period. I look forward to working with the President-elect and his administration to strengthen the Palestinian-American relations and to achieve freedom, independence, justice and dignity for our people,” Reuters reported Abbas as saying.
According to the report, Palestinians took to the streets on Sunday to celebrate Trump’s defeat.
Bassam Al-Salhe, a senior member of the Abbas-led Palestine Liberation Organization, told Reuters that the boycott was due to the administration’s “hostile policy.”
“When Biden announces that this is going to change—and he announced that during his election campaign—there will be no reason for the boycott,” he said.
JNS
