Tag: Mahmoud Abbas

In Christmas Message Aimed at Trump, Abbas Says Palestinians Will Never Accept Any Peace Plan From U.S.

The following article by Jack Khoury was posted on the Haaretz website December 22, 2017:

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s Extraordinary Summit in Istanbul, Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2017. Emrah Yorulmaz/Pool Photo via AP

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas came out Friday against the American peace initiative and said the Palestinians would not accept any plan made by the Americans due to U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem, a move that was widely rejected by the world in a UN vote Thursday.

In a Christmas letter to Christians, Abbas wrote that the Palestinians will not “accept any plan from the U.S.” due to the White House’s “biased” support of Israel and its settlement policy. He also said the American plan “is not going to be based on the two-state solution on the 1967 border, nor is it going to be based on international law or UN resolutions.” Continue reading “In Christmas Message Aimed at Trump, Abbas Says Palestinians Will Never Accept Any Peace Plan From U.S.”

Will Trump Pull Out of Middle East Peace Talks After Reports of Abbas Kushner Rift?

The following article by Tom Porter was posted on the Newsweek website June 25, 2017:

In this handout image provided by the Palestinian Press Office (PPO), Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (R) meets with Jared Kushner, Senior Advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump, on June 21, 2017 in Ramallah, West Bank.THAER GHANAIM/PPO VIA GETTY IMAGES

A U.S. official denied reports that President Donald Trump was considering pulling out of peace negotiations between Israel and Palestinians after a rift opened up in the first meeting between Trump aide and son-in-law Jared Kushner and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

London-based Arabic daily Al-Hayat reported Saturday that the meeting between Kushner and Abbas had been “tense.” Abbas was allegedly furious when Kushner relayed a set of demands from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to a translation of the report by the Jerusalem Post.

Israeli daily Haaretz reported that Palestinian officials were “greatly disappointed” following their Wednesday meeting with Kushner and Jonathan Greenblatt, Trump’s Middle East envoy.

“They sounded like Netanyahu’s advisers and not like fair arbiters,” a senior Palestinian official told the publication. “They started presenting Netanyahu’s issues and then we asked to hear from them clear stances regarding the core issues of the conflict.” Continue reading “Will Trump Pull Out of Middle East Peace Talks After Reports of Abbas Kushner Rift?”