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Join on Telegram Rabat – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has called on the European Union to recognize the Palestinian state during his official visit to Brussels, Belgium.
In Brussels, the Palestinian President met with EU foreign ministers and Federica Mogherini, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
According to Reuters, Mogherini urged officials engaged in negotiations regarding Donald Trump’s Jerusalem decision to act “wisely.”
Speaking of the Palestinian President, Mogherini said, “I want to reassure President Abbas of the firm commitment of the EU to the two-state solution with Jerusalem as the shared capital of the two states.”
Many global officials and Arab leaders, including Abbas, believe that Trump’s move has made future peace talks between Palestine and Israel “impossible.”
After hearing of Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital during a visit to Paris, Abbas announced on December 22 that Palestine will no longer accept “any plan” for peace proposed by the United States.
“The United States are no longer an honest mediator in the peace process. We will not accept any plan put from the United States,” Abbas said at a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron.
His statement came just hours after 128 members of the United Nations General Assembly adopted by an overwhelming majority a resolution that rejects Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
France, having previously condemned Washington’s decision on Jerusalem, also voted in favor of the resolution.
Prior to the vote, which took place in December, Trump had threatened to cut aid to UN members who would vote against his decision.
On January 17, the US administration voiced its willingness to cut more than half of the financial aid that the US normally provides to the United Nations agency helping Palestinian refugees, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)
Heather Nauert, spokeswoman for the US State Department said on Tuesday that the Trump administration will provide only USD 60 million to thUNRWA. She added that the country will withhold another 65 million USD “for future consideration,” reported American news outlet the New York Times.
Nauert went on to explain that the US’ move is aimed at encouraging other countries to increase their funding for the UN agency. Nauert also insisted that this latest move by the administration was not linked to the threats voiced by Donald Trump after the UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to condemn his recent decision to recognize Jerusalem as its capital and to relocate the US embassy.
