Reason Ron Lauder of World Jewish Congress met with Abbas

Lauder met with Abbas after the Trump administration became aware that Biden’s people had initiated contacts with the PA, TPS reports.

By World Israel news Staff and TPS

World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder met with Palestinian Authority (PA) leader Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday after it became clear to the Trump administration that the Biden campaign has initiated contacts with the PA, Israeli newswire TPS reports.

There are also preparations for establishing direct channels of communication between Biden’s team and the PA through businessmen, TPS says.

One of the topics of discussion between Lauder and Abbas was the PA’s economic crisis, the source told TPS, as well as renewing contacts between the PA, Israel and the U.S.

The relationship between the Trump administration and the PA has been tense.

PA Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh told the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee on Monday that the Palestinians are hoping President Donald Trump loses the upcoming election.

“The election is very important. God help us, the EU and the whole world if there are four more years of Trump,” Shtayyeh said.

On May 19, Abbas declared an end to security cooperation with Israel and the U.S., saying the PA was “absolved, as of today, of all the agreements and understandings with the American and Israeli governments.”

The Trump administration has taken a tough line on the PA, which view the support of terrorists who carry out attacks on Israelis as one of its supreme goals.

In 2018, the U.S. cut some $200 million in funding to the PA under the Taylor Force Act, which stops U.S. funding to the authority until it ceases its stipends to terrorists and their families.

The administration also cut aid to UN bodies dedicated to helping Palestinians, including $300 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency and the UN Human Rights Council.