The people of Palestine, millions of Arabs and Muslims and the free people of the universe, are opposed to the “deal of shame” of the century that aims to seize Jerusalem, declared Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Saturday.
“Our Palestinian people rise from the rubble of disasters and conspiracies, in order to restore their existence, identity and rights,” he was quoted by Wafa News Agency during a televised statement at the launch of “Jerusalem as Capital of Islamic Culture 2019”.
He confirmed that “Jerusalem will not be alone, and that the steadfast Palestinian people will not remain alone to confront colonialism and occupation.”
He called on the friendly and brotherly nations to visit Jerusalem to show support to its people and the entire Palestinian people against prolonged Israeli occupation.
His attack on the so-called “deal of the century” US peace plan came shortly before its unveiling. The US administration said it would reveal its plan soon after this week’s Israeli election, in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emerged as victor.
Netanyahu is a favorite ally of US President Donald Trump, who in the last two years has announced a series of measures that Palestinians have seen as hostile.
Abbas has repeatedly rejected Trump’s peace plan and said it was aimed at eliminating the Palestinian cause. The Palestinians are looking for an alternative plan, based on the launch of an international peace conference resulting in a multilateral mechanism to sponsor the political process. Palestinians accept the United States as part of this mechanism, but not as the only mediator.
Palestinians say the two-state solution necessarily means a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and they accept it to be demilitarized, but also free from any Israeli soldier.
The Palestinians now accuse Trump of being part of a move to recognize the West Bank under Israeli sovereignty, bolstered by Netanyahu's announcement that he intends to annex major settlements under Israeli sovereignty.
Abbas's rejection of Trump’s plan is expected to lead to further tension in relations.
Relations between Abbas and Trump were severed after the latter recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and relocated the US embassy to it.
Since then, Trump has also cut off all financial aid to the Palestinians, including aid to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and ordered the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to close its office in Washington and expelled the ambassador there.
