Palestine is going to stop security coordination with Israel and insists on rejecting the so-called “deal of the century” peace plan until the United States and Israel retract it, announced President Mahmoud Abbas.
Speaking at a Palestinian cabinet meeting in Ramallah on Monday, Abbas said that “either we take our full rights according to the international legitimacy resolutions, or Israel must assume its full responsibilities (in the occupied territories) as an occupying power.”
He rejected Washington’s role as mediator in the peace process, saying: “Since Oslo in 1993 and until now, the US has done nothing positive.”
Abbas reiterated the Palestinian Authority’s rejection of the new peace proposal, explaining that both Israel and the US dismissed international legitimacy and all the agreements, including the Oslo Accords.
“We will continue our steps on all levels to confront the 'deal of the century’. We will present our vision to the Security Council and we will renew our rejection of this deal because it detracts from Palestinian rights and denies all agreements and resolutions of international legitimacy.”
He went on to say that the deal only gives Palestine 8 percent of the West Bank and Gaza, and then divides them into six sections, adding there is “no real opportunity in it.”
Abbas praised the position of the Arabs from the proposal, saying: “They stood with us as one. They took a unanimous decision on the draft resolution that we submitted. It was not amended and was adopted as is.”
“We will not retreat, unless they do,” asserted Abbas.
It is clear from Abbas's threats that he wants to pressure Israel to discourage it from annexing the Jordan Valley and settlements, a move that will practically end the dream of a Palestinian state according to the 1967 borders.
Meanwhile, member of Fatah’s central committee, Jibril al-Rajoub, warned Israel that implementing US President Donald Trump’s peace plan would lead to an escalation in the West Bank.
The PA must act urgently before the Israeli elections on March 2, to prevent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from implementing the peace plan, which means that the political map in Israel must be changed, he urged.
“Let's invest in the next four weeks to prevent Netanyahu from accomplishing anything,” he demanded.
