Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas dismissed on Friday a possible role for the United States in a future peace process in wake of President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Speaking during a press conference in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron, he declared: “The United States are no longer an honest mediator in the peace process, we will not accept any plan put forward by the United States.”
The United States has “disqualified” itself from the Middle East peace process due to its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, he added.
Abbas also condemned a threat by Trump to cut off financial aid to countries that voted at the United Nations against the Washington’s decision on Jerusalem.
He stressed that Saudi Arabia has “never hesitated in supporting us and it refuses to interfere in our internal affairs.”
Abbas had held talks with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz on Wednesday.
King Salman informed Abbas that Riyadh will never accept a solution to the Palestinian crisis that does not recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine.
On Thursday, more than 120 countries defied Trump and voted in favor of a United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for the US to drop its recent recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Macron reiterated on Friday that France remained committed to a “two-state” solution, namely one in which Israel and Palestine peacefully coexist side-by-side with one another.
Macron added that France would recognize a Palestinian state “at the right time”, and not under pressure.
