Palestinians’ US rapprochement will hit a dead end

Significance

New US President Joe Biden plans to reopen the Palestinians’ diplomatic mission in the United States, shuttered by his predecessor Donald Trump during a comprehensive breakdown of ties in 2018. The PA seeks to use a short window of intense anti-Trump sentiment to change basic US assumptions and has promised elections this year to burnish its democratic credentials.

Impacts

• Restored US aid could produce an immediate economic upswing in the West Bank and Gaza.
• Israel could further extend its COVID-19 vaccination programme to Palestinians as a low-cost goodwill gesture.
• Dominant PA leaders who have staked their entire political lives on a two-state solution will cling to it despite receding prospects.
• The PA has proven resilient so far, but if it began to crack, lack of political support means it could disintegrate quickly.