Palestinian leader Abbas says he will reconsider relations with the US, after Washington rejected a resolution to recognize the country as a full member of the UN.
He said Palestine would "review bilateral relations with the United States to ensure that the interests of its people, its cause and its rights are protected." "The United States has violated all international laws, abandoned all promises related to the two-state solution and efforts to achieve peace in the region," the Palestinian president accused.
The US government has not commented on the information.
Mr. Abbas in a photo posted on April 20. Photo: Wafa
Mr. Abbas made the statement after the US on April 18 used its veto power to reject a draft resolution calling for the recognition of Palestine as a full member of the United Nations (UN), when the document was put to a vote at the Security Council (UNSC). The UK and Switzerland abstained, while 12 of the remaining 15 members of the UNSC supported it.
US Deputy Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood later said the US "continues to strongly support the two-state solution", but stressed that Washington still holds the view that the UN is not the place to recognise a Palestinian state. Recognition must be the result of a peace agreement with Israel, according to Mr. Wood.
President Abbas criticized the US move as "unjust, immoral and illegitimate", while Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz welcomed the US move.
The UN General Assembly granted observer status to Palestine in 2012. To be recognized as a full member, Palestine first needs to receive at least nine votes in favor from the members of the Security Council and no veto from any of the permanent members, including the US, Russia, France, Britain and China. The Abbas administration then needs to continue to receive the support of two-thirds of the members of the UN General Assembly.
Palestine severed all ties with the United States in January 2020, after rejecting a Middle East peace plan proposed by then-US President Donald Trump. The plan proposed the establishment of a demilitarized Palestinian state, excluding settlements built by the Israelis on territory they control.
Mr. Trump previously also made many moves that displeased Palestine, such as recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, moving the US embassy in this city, and cutting off all aid to Palestine.
After taking office, President Joe Biden restored relations with President Abbas's government and resumed aid to the Palestinians. However, officials in this country say that Mr. Biden needs to do more to restore the peace process in the region.
In October 2022, Mr. Abbas affirmed that Palestine "does not trust the US" and "does not accept Washington as the only party to solve the problem."
Pham Giang (According to ToI, Reuters, AFP)
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