Pointing to threats made by US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, that Washington would be "taking names" following an almost unanimous UN vote excoriating the declaration by the Trump White House that the US would move its Israel embassy in Tel Aviv to the hotly-disputed city of Jerusalem, Palestinian President Abbas observed that the Trump White House is "no longer an honest mediator in the peace process," according to Reuters.
Following the inauguration of US President Donald Trump in January, moves toward brokering a new peace settlement between Palestine and Israel were put in place by Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, a close family advisor to the strikingly unpopular former reality television star. While no hints of what that peace offer may entail have been released, Capitol Hill observers have suggested that Kushner would reveal the contents of a new deal in early 2018.
But the Palestinian president has appeared to put an end to aspirations by the US to broker a peace plan for the region — its first foray since the acrimonious collapse of talks in 2014 — before it is even detailed.
"The United States are no longer an honest mediator in the peace process," Abbas said during a news conference in Paris.
Palestine "will not accept any plan from the United States of America because of its bias and violation of international law," Abbas stated.
Earlier, a Palestinian Authority spokesperson noted that the 128-9 UN General Assembly vote denouncing US intentions to move its embassy to Israel from the city of Tel Aviv to Jerusalem was "a victory for Palestine."
The spokesperson vowed that Palestine would "continue our efforts in the United Nations and at all international forums to put an end to this occupation and to establish our Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital."
