Biden commits $100M in funding on East Jerusalem hospital visit as he says Palestinians and Israelis ‘deserve equal measure of freedom, security, prosperity and dignity’

  • President Joe Biden visited the Augusta Victoria Hospital in East Jerusalem Friday morning
  • He announced he will ask Congress to fund $100 million for healthcare services for the hospital network, which serves the Palestinian population 
  • ‘Palestinians and Israelis deserve equal measure of freedom, security, prosperity and dignity,’ Biden said  
  • President Joe Biden was greeted with considerable pomp as he met with Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas Friday in the occupied West Bank 
  • The Palestinians rolled out the red carpet in Bethlehem – literally – as Biden and Abbas reviewed the troops and national anthems were played 
  • After their meeting, Biden reaffirmed his commitment to a two-state solution, an independent Israel and Palestine 
  • An empty chair for slain Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was in the room where Biden and Abbas gave remarks 
  • Biden also called the death of the Palestinian-American journalist an ‘enormous loss’ and asked for ‘a full and transparent accounting of her death’