Vice President Kamala Harris spoke today with President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority on her flight to Washington, D.C., from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where the Vice President had several conversations with Arab leaders on the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The Vice President reiterated U.S. support for the Palestinian people and their right to security, dignity and self-determination. She underscored our commitment to a two-state solution and said that the Palestinian people must have a clear political horizon. They spoke about the situation in the West Bank and the Vice President reiterated our concerns with steps that could escalate tensions, including extremist settler violence.
Building on her meetings in Dubai, the Vice President discussed U.S. ideas for planning for the day after the fighting ends in Gaza, and the Vice President reiterated U.S. support for a unified West Bank and Gaza under a revitalized Palestinian Authority. The Vice President told President Abbas that, to follow-up on this conversation and her meetings in Dubai on day-after planning, her National Security Advisor, Dr. Phil Gordon, would travel to Israel and the West Bank this week for additional discussions.
