Shtayyeh to Senator: U.S. ‘Punishing’ And ‘Blackmailing’ Palestinians
- Shtayyeh to Senator: U.S. ‘Punishing’ And ‘Blackmailing’ Palestinians
by KHALED ABU TOAMEH, https://www.jpost.com/
Last week, Shtayyeh was quoted as saying that the “deal of the century” was “born dead.”
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Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh criticized the Trump administration on Tuesday for “punishing” and “blackmailing” the Palestinians because of the stalemate in the peace process with Israel. Shtayyeh, who was speaking during a meeting in his Ramallah office with US Senator Ron Wyden, reiterated the Palestinians’ rejection of Trump’s unseen plan, also known as the “deal of the century.” The Palestinians, he added, will not accept the continuation of the status quo.
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The decisions taken by the US administration, including cutting US financial aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, are worse than what’s written in its upcoming peace plan, he said on Tuesday.
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Last week, Shtayyeh was quoted as saying that the “deal of the century” was “born dead.” This was the first meeting of its kind between Shtayyeh and a US representative since the establishment of the new PA government last week.
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The PA has been boycotting the Trump administration since December 2017, when the US president announced his decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. However, contacts between the PA and US Congressmen, senators and representatives of various American organizations have continued.
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PA President Mahmoud Abbas said in Cairo earlier this week that despite the boycott, the PA was continuing to work with the US in the field of security, especially with regards to combating terrorism.
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