- The big problem, though, with Mr Biden's commitment for the US to work with the Palestinian Authority in Gaza is that the ability of Mr Abbas's organisation to exercise any influence over Gaza is virtually negligible.
- While Mr Abbas continues to indulge in the fiction that he is the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, the reality so far as Gaza is concerned is that it is the Islamist leaders of Hamas who exercise total control over Gaza.
- The jubilant celebrations that took place among Palestinians when the ceasefire finally took hold were not held to express their relief that the fighting was over. The celebrations took place as a demonstration of support for Hamas's role in launching a massive attack on Israel.
- The bad news for Mr Biden is that Hamas not only has zero interest in working with the US and other aid agencies on reconstruction projects in Gaza and other Palestinian territories. It has no interest in resolving tensions with Israel.
- [T]he main objective of the Hamas movement, which has been designated a terrorist organisation by the US and a host of other Western governments, is the complete destruction of the state of Israel, an ambition it shares with Iran, Hamas's close ally and benefactor.
- Indeed, Israeli intelligence officials believe Iran deliberately used the recent bout of fighting to test Israel's air defence systems with a view to improving Hamas's capability to inflict maximum damage on the Israeli people in any future conflict.
The fundamental problem with the Biden administration's approach to relations with the Palestinians is that they are investing all their political capital in the ability of the Palestinian Authority, which is headed by the ineffectual Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, to help achieve their goals. Pictured: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (left) meets with Abbas give a joint statement, on May 25, 2021 in Ramallah. (Photo by Alex Brandon/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
To judge by the jubilant Palestinian celebrations that greeted the ceasefire that ended 11 days of fighting in the Gaza Strip, US President Joe Biden's belief that the agreement presents a "genuine opportunity to make progress" on resolving tensions between Israel and the Palestinians seems naively optimistic.
Moreover, the same can be said of the president's pledge to provide Gaza with humanitarian and reconstruction aid to help the Palestinian residents in the wake of the latest outbreak of fighting between Israel and the Palestinians.
Speaking shortly after the ceasefire had been implemented, Mr Biden said the White House would work with the United Nations and other international aid organisations "to provide urgent humanitarian assistance and mobilize international support for the people of Gaza and the efforts to rebuild Gaza."
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