New York/Ramallah - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
condemned US President Donald Trump's Middle East plan at the United
Nations Security Council, saying it "legitimizes what is
illegal."
"This is an Israeli-American pre-emptive plan in order to put an end
to the question of Palestine," Abbas said.
Addressing the 15-member council and UN chief Antonio Guterres
through a translator, Abbas said Trump's proposal "legitimizes what
is illegal," including Israel's "annexation of Palestinian land."
"We will confront its application on the ground," Abbas said, while
stressing that Palestinians would not "resort to terrorism."
He compared the plan's map to "Swiss cheese," saying: "Who among you
will accept a similar state and similar conditions?"
Abbas did not slam Trump, however, saying that he didn't know who had
given the US president this "unacceptable advice."
The Palestinian leader called for an international conference to
pursue the two-state solution demanded in various UN resolutions,
noting that the US could not be "the sole mediator."
Abbas concluded that Palestinians and Israelis "only have one choice:
we have to be partners, we have to be neighbours, each in their own
country, sovereign country."
Israel's ambassador to the UN shot back that if Abbas "was really
interested in peace ... he wouldn't be here in New York, he would be
in Jerusalem."
"He came here to distract from his unwillingness to negotiate or to
speak," Danny Danon said.
Danon called for Abbas' ouster, saying "only when he steps down can
Palestinians move forward."
Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert, who later on Tuesday spoke
at a press conference alongside Abbas, said the Palestinian leader
was a "man of peace" and "the only partner we can deal with."
Olmert, who negotiated with Abbas when he was in office, stressed
that he saw an opportunity for renewed dialogue in Trump's Middle
East plan.
Tens of thousands of Palestinians gathered in the West Bank city of
Ramallah earlier Tuesday to show support for Abbas' position against
the US plan while he's in New York. The rally was called by Abbas'
Fatah party and other factions in the West Bank.
Protesters, some of whom were bussed in, carried Palestinian flags
and signs condemning the plan, saying Jerusalem was not for sale.
A planned vote in the Security Council on a draft resolution to
condemn Trump's plan was called off following US pressure, several
diplomats told dpa on Monday.
The draft resolution was put on hold following a pressure campaign by
the United States, which diplomats said involved calls from Jared
Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and and one of the architects of his
Middle East plan, to council members.
Sources also suggested that the sacking of Tunisia's permanent
representative to the UN last Friday was linked to US pressure on the
country's government.
Tunisia and Indonesia, both currently Security Council members, had
circulated the draft resolution on behalf of the Palestinians to
condemn Trump's proposal.
Trump unveiled his controversial plan last month, which he said would
end the bitter Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The plan would give Israel control over Jewish settlements on the
West Bank and the strategic Jordan Valley, while also calling for the
creation of a Palestinian state. It differs significantly from the
1967 borders that have previously been the basis for peace plans.
Palestinians have outright rejected the plan, fearing it will
recognize Israeli claims to parts of the West Bank that they want for
their future state of Palestine.
A poll released by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey
Research on Tuesday showed that 94 per cent of Palestinians rejected
the deal.