US State Department: Israeli normalization agreements do not substitute peace with Palestinians

The US State Department said, according to a report by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, that it would continue to encourage countries to normalize relations with Israel, but any normalization deals, such as those signed with the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco, will not replace the Israeli-Palestinian peace.

In his first official press conference, US State Department spokesman Ned Price reiterated Secretary of State Anthony Blinken's praise of the normalization agreements, adding that "the United States will continue to urge other countries to normalize relations with Israel."

However, Price said, normalization "is not a substitute for Israeli-Palestinian peace. We hope that Israel and other countries in the region will unite in a joint effort to build bridges in order to contribute to achieving tangible progress toward the goal of advancing a negotiated peace between Israelis and Palestinians."

Price also confirmed that the United States intends to return aid to the Palestinians "very quickly," saying that "it is in the interest of the United States to do so."

He said, "The suspension of aid to the Palestinian people did not result in political progress, nor did it secure concessions from the Palestinian leadership. Of course, it only harmed innocent Palestinians."

J.O