Spokesperson for Palestinian Presidency Nabil Abu Rudeineh stated that the United States of America does not have the right to dispose of the Palestinian land, nor does it confer any legitimacy on the Israeli decision to seize Palestinian land.
Abu Rudeineh condemned in a press release US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s statements that it was Israel’s decision whether to annex parts of the occupied West Bank and the US will offer its views on this to the new Israeli government in private.
“As for the annexation of the West Bank, the Israelis will ultimately make those decisions,” Pompeo told reporters. “That’s an Israeli decision. And we will work closely with them to share with them our views of this in [a] private setting.”
“The Palestinians are only who can decide the fate of their lands, on which they will establish their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital,” Abu Rudeineh stated.
“There will be no security and stability without giving the Palestinian people their rights which were approved by the international legitimacy,” he added.
Abu Rudeineh noted that Pompeo’s statements “affirm that the United States can never be a mediator in any peace process between us and the Israelis.”
“There remarks are a green light for the Israeli government to continue its settlement activities and annexation of Palestinian lands, a violation of all international laws and conventions and would never bring about peace by all means,” he added.
He reiterated President Mahmoud Abbas’ clear position that any Israeli move to annex any part of the Palestinian territories will have serious consequences on the prospects of security and stability in the region.