But Mr. Indyk said that Mr. Biden must now become more active, and he urged the swift appointment to the empty post of American ambassador to Jerusalem. Mr. Indyk also noted that the president had not yet spoken with Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority. “They need to establish a dialogue with the Palestinians,” Mr. Indyk said. The White House disclosed on Tuesday that Mr. Biden and Mr. Abbas had exchanged letters after the 2020 election. U.S. officials have also had private, lower-level contacts with Palestinian officials, including Mr. Abbas’s senior adviser, Hussein al-Sheikh.

Source: New York Times May 11, 2021 23:45 UTC