Palestinian Authority warns Israel, US ‘not to cross the red lines’

Palestinian officials said on Thursday that US President Donald Trump’s decision to release his Middle East peace plan was aimed at helping Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before the March elections in Israel.

The officials repeated their rejection of Trump’s plan on the pretext that its main goal is to “liquidate” the Palestinian cause.

Nabil Abu Rudaineh, spokesman for the PA presidency, warned the US administration “against taking any step that is in violation of international legitimacy.”

“We warn Israel and the US administration not to cross the red lines,” Abu Rudaineh said. “We affirm our position calling for ending the Israeli occupation of the land of the State of Palestine on the 1967 borders, including its capital, East Jerusalem.”

The PA spokesman said that the Palestinians reject what has been published about Trump’s plan. “The Palestinian leadership will announce a series of measures to preserve our legitimate rights and we will demand that Israel assume its full responsibilities as an occupation authority,” Abu Rudaineh added.

A senior PLO official said in response to the reports about the near publication of Trump’s plan that the Palestinian leadership will hold an emergency meeting to discuss the “dangerous repercussions” of the announcement. “We reject this plan and any plan that is not based on the two-state solution,” the official said. “Trump does not have the right to give Israel a green light to annex any part of the Palestinian lands.”

A Fatah official warned that Trump’s plan would lead to an “explosion” in the region. “No Palestinian can accept this dangerous conspiracy,” the official said. He urged the PA leadership to respond by renouncing all signed agreements with Israel and suspending security coordination between the PA security forces and Israel.

The reports about the imminent release of Trump’s plan came shortly before PA President Mahmoud Abbas met in Bethlehem with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Abbas said he would discuss with Putin regional issues related to Israel’s intention to “annex Palestinian territories” in the West Bank, as well as Trump’s plan for Mideast peace.

“We must consult on this matter, as well as the issue of Palestinian presidential and parliamentary elections,” Abbas said. I welcome my dear friend, President Vladimir Putin, my personal friend and the friend of the Palestinian people who never misses an opportunity to talk about or support the Palestinian cause.”

Abbas praised Putin for his support for the Palestinians. “This visit is important for us,” the PA president said. “I thank President Putin for the political, economic, cultural, financial and security support for the Palestinian people.” He also praised the “positive and effective role Russia has played in the region.”

Earlier, PLO Executive Committee member Ahmed Majdalani said that the Palestinian leadership would do its utmost to foil Trump’s peace plan. “The US administration won’t be able to pass the plan,” Majdalani said. He claimed that Trump was using his plan to divert attention from the impeachment trial he’s facing in the Senate.