President Mahmoud Abbas, speaking tonight following the revelation of the American so-called deal of the century, rejected the American plan and said the leadership will start immediate measures to change the functional role of the Palestinian Authority as called for by the Palestine Liberation Organization’s {PLO} Central Council.
President Abbas chaired tonight a leadership meeting called for to discuss Palestinian response to the American plan revealed by US President Donald Trump in the presence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The emergency meeting was attended by representatives of all Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
The President stressed that Jerusalem and the Palestinian rights are not for sale after Trump said that the Palestinians will get $50 billion in investments to develop their country and economy.
He warned that the American plan, describing it as the “smack of the century”, aims to liquidate the Palestinian issue and therefore it will not be acceptable and rather it will be returned as many smacks in the future.
He stressed that the Palestinian strategy is based on continuing the struggle to end the Israeli occupation until independence and the establishment of the Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The President said that he is committed to holding legislative and presidential elections in the West Bank, Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, stressing that Jerusalem’s Palestinian residents should take part in the elections.
He also said that there will be a new phase of Palestinian dialogue and joint work.