Mahmoud Abbas says US will have no place in mediating Palestine-Israel peace after Jerusalem decision
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday said his country would not accept a future role for the U.S. in the Middle East peace process.
The declaration came in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital last week.
“We will never allow the U.S. role in the future peace process,” Abbas told a special meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul.
The president added that Palestinians did “not want American mediation anymore," and called the decision as the “greatest crime” and a “flagrant violation of international law.
Addressing an emergency meeting of Muslim leaders in Turkey, Abbas said President Donald Trump was giving Jerusalem away as if it were an American city.
"Jerusalem is and always will be the capital of Palestine," he said, calling on the world to acknowledge the city as such and adding that Trump's decision was "the greatest crime" and a violation of international law.
Turkey is hosting the 57 member OIC following the U.S. decision, which has been widely condemned by world leaders. The summit is expected to develop a unified Muslim position on Trump’s policy shift.
“Peace will not come unless Jerusalem is recognized as Palestine's capital,” he added.
"It will be unacceptable for it [the U.S.] to have a role in the political process any longer since it is biased in favour of Israel," he said. "This is our position and we hope you support us in this."
Jerusalem remains at the core of the Israel-Palestine conflict, with Palestinians hoping that East Jerusalem, currently occupied by Israel, will eventually become the capital of a Palestinian state.
