https://axios.com/saudi-israel-megadeal-palestinians-biden-list
Senior Abbas adviser Hussein al-Sheikh, who is leading the consultations on the issue with Riyadh, gave Saudi national security adviser Musaed bin Mohammed al-Aiban the list of possible deliverables three months ago, according to the U.S. and Israeli sources.
The Palestinians want Israel to agree to change the status of parts of Area C in the occupied West Bank, where Israel currently has full control, to Area B, where the PA has civilian control and Israel maintains security control. Such a step would expand the Palestinian Authority's footprint in the West Bank and allow for more Palestinian development.
The Palestinians' list also proposes the U.S. finally reopen its consulate in Jerusalem, which was closed by the Trump administration. President Biden vowed to reopen the consulate when he took office, but it remains closed amid Israeli opposition.
The PA also wants Saudi Arabia to open a consulate in Jerusalem. Riyadh this year appointed its ambassador to Jordan as a non-resident consul general in Jerusalem.
The PA's list includes steps that it wants to be taken at the UN related to the recognition of Palestine as a member state.
The Palestinians also asked Saudi Arabia to resume funding to the Palestinian Authority, which was halted several years ago. The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that the Saudis are ready to do that.The Palestinians want Israel to agree to at least some of these steps upfront and agree to resume Israeli-Palestinian final status negotiations over several years under a clear timetable, the sources said.
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