Will Biden be Obama redux for the Middle East?
In-depth: Recent normalization between Israel and parts of the Arab world – borne largely out fear of Iranian influence – means the new president and his foreign policy team are returning to a region very changed from just four years ago
The Media Line |
Published: 01.16.21 , 22:40
Outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed last week that he has met with his designated successor, Antony Blinken. Both have been trusted, loyal confidantes of their respective bosses.
And after Pompeo and his boss Donald Trump made it their stated mission to tear apart the foreign policy of the president s predecessor Barack Obama, President-elect Joe Biden and Blinken have been clear that much of those new policies will be obliterated in short order – except, perhaps, in the Middle East.
Parliamentary elections are to be held on May 22, followed by a presidential vote on July 31.
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| A+A A- By Associated Press
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has announced that the first presidential and parliamentary elections since 2006 will be held later this year. But the road to the vote key to advancing Palestinian statehood and mending a rift between Abbas Fatah party and the Islamic militant group Hamas is littered with obstacles.
Parliamentary elections are to be held on May 22, followed by a presidential vote on July 31. The rival factions will meet in Egypt later this month, hoping to work out logistics and settle their differences before election campaigns kick off.
Palestine: Statement by the Spokesperson on launching the preparations for elections
On Friday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas enacted a decree-law on holding legislative, presidential and National Council elections in the coming months starting with legislative elections on 22 May.
This is a welcome development as participative, representative and accountable democratic institutions are key for Palestinian self-determination and state-building.
The EU has in the past years consistently supported and funded the work of the Central Elections Commission in order to prepare for holding free, fair and inclusive elections for all Palestinians. The EU stands ready to engage with relevant actors to support the electoral process. The EU also calls on Israeli authorities to facilitate the holding of elections across all the Palestinian territory.