Abbas Calls on Europe to Recognize Palestinian State with Jerusalem As Its Capital

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks during a meeting of the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah, July 25, 2017. (AFP/Abbas Momani)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks during a meeting of the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah, July 25, 2017. (AFP/Abbas Momani)
TT
20

Abbas Calls on Europe to Recognize Palestinian State with Jerusalem As Its Capital

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks during a meeting of the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah, July 25, 2017. (AFP/Abbas Momani)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks during a meeting of the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah, July 25, 2017. (AFP/Abbas Momani)

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will ask the foreign ministers of the European Union, who will receive him in two weeks, to work with their governments to recognize a Palestinian state within the “1967 borders” and East Jerusalem as its capital, Palestinian political sources said on Sunday.

Abbas will meet with European foreign ministers on January 22 in Brussels at the invitation of the EU. The invitation comes in response to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who imposed himself to a meeting with the Union at the end of December, a move that was not appreciated by the EU countries, which immediately asked Abbas for a desirable meeting.

Sources close to Abu Mazen said that US President Donald Trump was working with Israel “to bury the two-state solution.”

“If Europe wants to continue to support this solution, it must move from declaration to action,” the sources said.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority, mainly Fatah Movement, is pushing for continued popular protests throughout the West Bank and the Gaza Strip that broke out with the US announcement of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Fatah published a statement calling on the people to take to the streets on Tuesday and participate in mass prayers on Friday and not to silence the protests, at least every Tuesday and Friday.

A senior Palestinian official said that Palestinians should work to keep the Palestinian Cause on the international agenda. He added that the Palestinian Central Council, which will convene in Ramallah in the presence of all factions, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad next week, would decide on the next steps to be taken in response to the US announcement on Jerusalem.

In Israel, the Israeli army issued statistics on Sunday summarizing the events of the confrontations with the Palestinians in 2017 compared to the previous year.

The statistics showed that 20 Israelis were killed in “terrorist attacks” over the past year, or three persons more than those killed in 2016. They added that the number of operations had declined from 269 to 99.



‘No One Dares’ … First Palestinian Response to Israeli Plan to Separate Hebron from PA

Israeli security forces stand guard as Israeli settlers tour in the Palestinian side of the old city and market of Hebron in the occupied West Bank on July 5, 2025. (Photo by HAZEM BADER / AFP)
Israeli security forces stand guard as Israeli settlers tour in the Palestinian side of the old city and market of Hebron in the occupied West Bank on July 5, 2025. (Photo by HAZEM BADER / AFP)
TT
20

‘No One Dares’ … First Palestinian Response to Israeli Plan to Separate Hebron from PA

Israeli security forces stand guard as Israeli settlers tour in the Palestinian side of the old city and market of Hebron in the occupied West Bank on July 5, 2025. (Photo by HAZEM BADER / AFP)
Israeli security forces stand guard as Israeli settlers tour in the Palestinian side of the old city and market of Hebron in the occupied West Bank on July 5, 2025. (Photo by HAZEM BADER / AFP)

A report published by The Wall Street Journal, and promoted by Israeli media on Sunday, has renewed focus on an Israeli plan dating back more than 60 years aimed at pushing for the creation of “emirates” or entities independent from the Palestinian Authority (PA).

The report focused on the Palestinian city of Hebron, and cited what it claimed were “21 tribal elders from Hebron,” who allegedly sent a letter in Hebrew to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling for negotiations with them to join the Abraham Accords and consequently abandon the “two-state solution,” which Palestinians rely on to establish their state.

However, a Palestinian security source, in remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, said: “What is happening is yet another Israeli attempt to weaken the Palestinian Authority.”

“This is a failed plan,” he said: “No one here would dare take this step and say: I am the spy... I am the alternative to the Authority ... Those who tried that are known and represent no one.”

Reportedly, the elders included a detailed proposed timetable for talks to join the Abraham Accords and for “a fair and decent arrangement that would replace the Oslo Accords, which only brought damage, death, economic disaster and destruction.”

According to The Wall Street Journal, the initiative was helmed by Wadee al-Jaabari, who local city residents and its political leadership claim is unknown to them, and backed by "four other leading Hebron sheikhs.”

Palestinian city residents, including Jaabari's extended family members, condemned the proposal, saying that its authors do not represent them.

Israeli sources said that Economy Minister Nir Barkat stands behind the letter, which was allegedly sent to him. Barkat met at his home with al-Jaabari and the other sheikhs; he has held more than 12 meetings with them since February, The Wall Street Journal said. They asked him to forward the letter to Netanyahu and are now waiting for his response.

The sheikhs reportedly proposed that Israel grant work permits to 1,000 workers from Hebron on a trial basis, and then extend this to another 5,000.

According to Maariv newspaper, the Israeli government is “seeking to promote this plan to destroy the Palestinian Authority and the establishment of a Palestinian state.”