The Palestinian Authority (PA) has sent Saudi Arabia a list of proposals for concessions to Palestinians in the West Bank and Jerusalem that the kingdom can demand from Israel in exchange for a normalization agreement, six American and Israeli sources close to the matter told Walla on Wednesday.
Among the Palestinian demands are the transfer of parts of Area C (under Israeli control as part of the Oslo Accords) of the West Bank to the civilian control of the PA, the opening of an American consulate in Jerusalem and the resumption of negotiations with Israel on the creation of a Palestinian state.
The contacts between the Palestinian leadership and the Saudi government are a sign that PA President Mahmoud Abbas and his advisors have decided to adopt a pragmatic approach and avoid confrontation with Saudi Arabia.
Back in 2020, after the signing of the Abraham Accords, the Palestinians reacted strongly against the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, even recalling their Palestinian ambassadors from Abu Dhabi and Manama in protest. This time, it seems that the Palestinian leadership has opted for a different approach.
Abbas understands that he will not be able to prevent a Saudi-Israeli normalization agreement and, instead of opposing it, he is trying to use this initiative to obtain concrete benefits.
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