Palestinian officials have rejected calls to resume negotiations with Israel, saying they will not return to the dialogue if the American peace plan, known as the “deal of the century”, was still on the table.
Member of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) Ahmed al-Majdalani said the deal was completely rejected and any calls for talks based on the proposal will also be turned down.
The official made his remarks in response to a joint Qatari-American statement that called for negotiations to be held based on the “deal of the century”.
The statement, he said, reflects Doha’s adoption of the deal, which has been rejected by the Palestinians and international community.
“There can be no security and stability in the region while Israel continues its occupation,” he said, demanding the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Moreover, Majdalani noted that American pressure on Arab countries to normalize relations with Israel will continue to mount as the US presidential elections near.
The normalization “will not alter the core of the conflict in the region and will not achieve peace, security and stability,” he added.
Head of the Fatah movement press office, Mounir al-Jaghoub rejected the American-Qatari call, saying: “The people and leadership have completely rejected the Trump plan.”
“The Palestinian leadership cannot begin negotiations based on this plan, which is a threat to all peoples in the region because it ignores the core of the conflict, which is the Palestinian people’s right to freedom within an independent sovereign state, whose capital is East Jerusalem,” he stressed.
The statement “is not a step towards peace, but just another effort to join the bandwagon of countries seeking to normalize relations with Israel,” he said.
