Palestinian leader rebukes Trump

Abbas: Peace efforts can only resume under intl mediation

RAMALLAH, Middle EastPalestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has slammed the peace deal proposed by US President Donald Trump, calling it a "a slap on the face".

Abbas told members of Palestine Liberation Organization Central Council on Sunday, who convened in Ramallah for two days, that Trump's "deal of the century" is "a slap on the face", adding "we will slap back".

Abbas said he would only accept a broad, internationally-backed panel to broker any peace talks with Israel, but did not rule out a US role in such a panel.

"We do not accept the United States as a mediator between us and Israel," Abbas said. "Let it be an international committee formed at an international conference comprising four or five (countries or parties). But the United States alone? No."

The council convened for two days to come up with strategic decisions on the peace process, the relations with Israel and to discuss Trump's declaration in December to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

"Jerusalem was removed from the table by a tweet of Mr Trump," said Abbas, adding that "the status of Jerusalem is like Mecca. Nothing is more important than Jerusalem."

The Palestinians consider East Jerusalem, which was occupied by Israel during the Arab-Israeli war in 1967, as the capital of their future independent state, while Israel declared the integral Jerusalem as its eternal capital.

He stressed that "the Palestinians will not leave or make or repeat the mistakes of the past," adding "this is a fateful moment that calls on every Palestinian to immediately stand up to defend the fate of the eternal capital".

In another sign of the growing tensions in the region, the Trump administration is preparing to withhold tens of millions of dollars from the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, cutting the year's first contribution by more than half or perhaps entirely, and making additional donations contingent on major changes to the organization, according to US officials.

Trump hasn't made a final decision, but appears more likely to send only $60 million of the planned $125 million first installment to the UN Relief and Works Agency, said the officials, who weren't authorized to publicly discuss the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Future contributions would require the agency, facing heavy Israeli criticism, to demonstrate significant changes in operations, they said, adding that one suggestion under consideration would require the Palestinians to first re-enter peace talks with Israel.

The US State Department said on Sunday that "the decision is under review. There are still deliberations taking place". The White House did not immediately respond to questions about the matter.

Xinhua - Ap - Reuters

(China Daily 01/16/2018 page11)