Trump demands Palestinians show ‘respect’ if they want U.S. help
DAVOS, Switzerland – President Trump said Thursday he has a proposal for peace in the Middle East, but he won’t push for talks until Palestinians show “respect” for his decision to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
During a meeting at the World Economic Forum with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump threatened to withhold U.S. aid to the Palestinians “unless they sit down and negotiate peace” with Israel.
Trump, who addresses the business and political leaders Friday, inflamed the Palestinians and drew condemnations from some world leaders for his decision to relocate the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv.
There has been a long-standing international consensus that the future of Jerusalem, which both Israel and the Palestinians claim as their capital, should be decided by negotiations on creating two independent nations living side-by-side.
“Financial pressure and blackmail does not work,” said Husam Zomlot, head of the Palestinian Liberation Organization’s General Delegation to the United States. He rejected Trump’s claim that Jerusalem is off the table in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations and that Palestinians disrespected the United States.
Jerusalem is “the mother of all issues” between Palestinians and Israelis, he said.
Middle East peace talks have been stalled for years because of Israeli anger over unrelenting attacks by Palestinians and Palestinian fury over Israel’s often violent control of the West Bank.
Trump said Thursday that Palestinians disrespected the United States by refusing to meet with Vice President Pence during his recent trip to the Middle East. Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas blamed Trump’s Jerusalem decision for the snub.
Trump did not offer any details of his peace proposal. His son-in-law and Mideast negotiator, Jared Kushner, has tried to restart the dormant negotiations.
Netanyahu said Trump’s Jerusalem decision “pushes peace forward” because it “recognizes the present reality.” He brought up the Iran nuclear deal, which Israel opposes. “You’ve said that if its fatal flaws are not fixed, that you should walk away from it. ... I want you to know that if you decide to do that, then we will back you all the way.”
Jerusalem is “the mother of all issues.” Husam Zomlot Palestinian Liberation Organization