The Cradle
June 17,2026
US in talks with PA on expanded ties as Washington pushes more concessions and seeks to redirect withheld Palestinian funds to ‘Board of Peace’
The United States is holding talks with the Palestinian Authority (PA) aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and securing Ramallah’s support for President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan and efforts to expand the Abraham Accords, according to officials cited by The Times of Israel.
As part of the discussions, Washington is reportedly seeking a PA commitment to “halt efforts to internationalize the conflict with Israel” and withdraw cases filed against Israel in international legal forums. The PA, for its part, has reportedly requested that any memorandum of understanding include language calling for a halt to Israeli settlement expansion and measures to address escalating settler violence in the occupied West Bank.
The talks have also centered on the future of more than $5 billion in Palestinian clearance revenues withheld by Israel. US officials are reportedly exploring ways to redirect a significant portion of the funds to the Board of Peace and its National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, a technocratic body intended to oversee the enclave until the PA completes a series of US- and Saudi-backed reforms. The PA, facing a deep financial crisis after more than a year without access to much of its own revenues, has reportedly agreed in principle to the arrangement in exchange for the release of at least part of the funds.
In return, the PA hopes to secure a memorandum of understanding with Washington that could pave the way for improved relations, the lifting of US sanctions, and the potential reopening of the PLO diplomatic mission in Washington. However, negotiations have slowed amid resistance from Israeli officials, particularly Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has opposed releasing any of the withheld funds and has repeatedly called for the collapse of the PA.
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