Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ spokesman blames US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman for the “crisis in US-Palestinian relations.”
Nabil Abu Rudeineh refers to a Monday tweet from Friedman accusing Palestinian leaders of praising the terrorist who stabbed to death Rabbi Itamar Ben-Gal outside the West Bank settlement of Ariel.
“The statements by the US ambassador lead us to wonder about the ambassador’s relationship with the occupation: Does he represent the US or Israel,” says Abu Rudeineh, according to the official Wafa news agency.
“The ambassador’s advice and consultations, which are not aimed at achieving a just peace based on international legality, have led to this crisis in US-Palestinian relations,” he adds.
Ties between the US and the PA have hit a nadir following Trump’s December 6 declaration of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, with Abbas declaring the US was no longer an honest broker in peace talks. He has also refused to meet with US officials, including Vice President Mike Pence.
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