Palestine taking steps to oppose recent US move: Abbas

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Palestine is preparing a response to oppose the recent U.S. move that violated the legal basis of the Palestinian-Israeli settlement, the Palestinian president said on Wednesday.

In interview with the Russian daily Kommersant, Mahmud Abbas said the Palestinian leadership has started to prepare a response, opposing U.S. President Donald Trump administration’s “hostile” position.

"The American administration has long been hostile to the Palestinian people. Donald Trump began by declaring unified Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, decided to move the U.S. Embassy there from Tel Aviv, as well as to stop all assistance to our people, including the support to hospitals and UNRWA [The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East]," Abbas said.

He threatened to cut all ties with Israel if it annexes the Jordan Valley.

The president said Palestine is ready to negotiate, but consider Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “impossible to negotiate with”, adding that the agreement with Israel is only possible if the U.S. stops to support the country.

He said only two-state solution can be acceptable for the Palestinians.

"Frankly speaking, Trump's team does not believe in a settlement based on the principle of "two states for two peoples", only the state of Israel is important to them, and not the Palestinian people, their existence. This is openly stated by the American administration, and we do not expect any change in this position," Abbas said.

Thanking Russia for its efforts to unify the Palestinian forces, Abbas said the Palestinians are still divided and the fate of the upcoming elections is still in question.

Abbas said he could not accept Iran's support to Hamas, and called on Tehran to work with the “official Palestinian administration".