Asharq Al-awsat English https://aawsat.com/english Middle-east and International News and Opinion from Asharq Al-awsat Newspaper http://feedly.com/icon.svg

Palestine to Review Relations with Israel, US

Palestine to Review Relations with Israel, US

Thursday, 4 January, 2018 - 11:15
US President Donald Trump. (File Photo: AFP)

Palestinian Central Council (PCC) will meet in Ramallah mid-January to conclude "suitable resolutions, and endorse a combative future vision as part of a national strategy on all levels," and review the relations with Israel and United States, according to Chairman of the Palestinian National Council (PNC) Salim al-Zanoun.


Zanoun urged the Arab countries to end relations with any state that recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s capital or moves its embassy to the city, in line with a resolution of the 11th Arab Summit, Jordan, 1980.


He slammed the December 6 US President Donald Trump's decision recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital, saying the move violated international law and "flagrantly violated the international legitimacy, through disgraceful use of the (UNSC) Veto."


On Tuesday, US President threatened to halt annual aid of more than $300 million to force them to the negotiating table.


Trump made his threat in a tweet on Tuesday, saying: "We pay the Palestinians HUNDRED OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect. With the Palestinians no longer willing to talk peace, why should we make any of these massive future payments to them?"


Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the announcement and said that Jerusalem was “not for sale.”


"Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the state of Palestine and it is not for sale for gold or billions," Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina told AFP, referring to Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.


US Ambassador to UN Nikki Haley said that Trump administration wants to stop funding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), until they "return to the negotiating table" with Israel.


It was not immediately clear from Haley's comments if she was referring only to UNRWA's funding, or to general US funding related to the Palestinian Authority (PA).


Editor Picks

Multimedia