Mahmoud Abbas lambasts Trump’s resolution on Jerusalem

Mahmoud Abbas has lambasted the US resolution to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, asserting the Palestinian leadership refuses to acknowledge President Donald Trump’s contentious switch.

Calling Jerusalem the « eternal capital of the Teach of Palestine », the president of the Palestinian Authority said on Wednesday the US might maybe no longer be a mediator in Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations.

His feedback had been in accordance to an earlier announcement by Trump at some stage in which he said the US used to be formally recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and would start the system of transferring its embassy from Tel Aviv to the city.

« Right here’s a reward to Israel, » Abbas said in a televised take care of, including that Trump’s switch encouraged Israel’s « continuing occupation » of the Palestinian territories.

Earlier within the day, Palestinian leaders known as for 3 days of rage in opposition to the switch.

The web site of Jerusalem has ignited tensions between Israelis and Palestinians for a few years.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem at the tip of the 1967 Battle with Syria, Egypt and Jordan; the western 1/2 of the holy city had been captured within the 1948 Arab-Israeli battle.

Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem successfully put the total city below de-facto Israeli aid watch over. Israeli jurisdiction and possession of Jerusalem, nonetheless, is now no longer recognised by the worldwide neighborhood.

Palestinians need East Jerusalem as the capital of their future tell.

« The resolution by President Trump will now no longer alternate the actuality of the city of Jerusalem and ought to gentle now no longer give any legitimacy to the Israelis on this distress, » said Abbas.

« We can reach nationwide independence. »

‘Harmful resolution’

Saeb Erekat, secretary-frequent of the Palestine Liberation Group, said Trump « has disqualified his nation from any most likely role within the peace course of » and « destroyed any risk of peace » between Israelis and Palestinians.

« He’s pushing this place towards chaos [and] violence, » Erekat instructed Al Jazeera. 

He said the PLO Central Council would seemingly convene to focus on about what next steps for the Palestinians.

He said its « meaningless » to acquire a Palestinian tell with out Jerusalem as its capital.

Presumably the most attention-grabbing risk closing for Palestinians, Erekat said, « is to fight for equal rights » between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, the rental of historic Palestine.

« Right here’s essentially the most unpleasant resolution that any US president has ever taken, » he said.

Jamal Zahalka, a Palestinian member of the Israeli parliament, said Trump used to be « fiddling with fire ».

« These who celebrate Trump’s declaration right here in Israel, are the ones who will reach the total lot to forestall instruct and peace, and to shut the settlements as correctly as supporting the occupation, while making an strive to strangle essentially the most attention-grabbing nationwide aspirations of the Palestinian of us, » Zahalka said in a assertion.

Echoing Netanyahu

Commenting on Trump’s speech, Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst, said Trump had reiterated « point-by-point » earlier statements by Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister.

« Trump used to be a parrot, repeating after Netanyahu in phrases of the total lot that we know at the novel time about Israel’s web site on Palestine, » he said.

« There might maybe be one thing dramatic novel in what Trump said this evening, wrapped up in a language of peace and civility.

« In fact, this used to be a declaration of battle in opposition to the Palestinian of us and their rights, and in opposition to the worldwide neighborhood and its commitment to worldwide law and to a two-tell solution. »