Ramallah (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) – Senior Palestinian leaders will meet in Ramallah on Sunday to debate responses to US President Donald Trump’s controversial recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Among the options to be considered is the potential suspension of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation’s (PLO) recognition of Israel, delegates said.
Such a move could call into question a founding principle of the peace efforts between Israel and the Palestinians and threaten decades of agreements with Israel, including on security.
Scepticism is widespread that the leadership will follow through with such an unpredictable step, but the fact that it is being discussed will be taken as a measure of the level of anger towards the Trump administration.
The two-day meeting of the Palestinian Central Council will begin late Sunday, with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas expected to open with a brief address.
The 121-member council is a high-ranking arm of the PLO, the internationally recognised representative of the Palestinian people, and includes members of different parties.
Trump’s December 6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital has infuriated the Palestinian leadership, who see at least the eastern part of the city as the capital of a future state they have sought to gain through American-led negotiations.
Read the full article by Nasser Abu Bakr of AFP at Yahoo7 News.