From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, January 3, 2018
Top Palestinian official says Trump threat enables Israel’s ‘heinous crimes’
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleChief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat says US President Donald Trump’s threat to cut millions of dollars of aid to the PA will enable Israel to continue committing “heinous crimes” against Palestinians.
“His statements against the Palestinian people have encouraged Israel to continue its heinous crimes and violations of International Law,” Erekat says in a statement.
Erekat says the US president is threatening to “starve Palestinian children in refugee camps and deny their natural rights to health and education if we don’t endorse his terms and dictations.”
He calls on the Trump administration to “stand on the right side of history” and to “stop encouraging international anarchy and violations of the basic requirements of peace.”
Yesterday Trump warned the Palestinians that he would cut $300 million in annual aid if the Palestinians refused to engage in peace negotiations with Israel.
Following the US president’s December 6 declaration of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, PA President Mahmoud Abbas said US had relinquished its traditional role as the mediator of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, and he has refused to meet with American officials regarding the peace process.
The Times of Israel Community.