Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas to visit UN in next two weeks

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)


Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas will visit the United Nation within two weeks to address the Security Council on his rejection of the new US Mideast plan, according to his ambassador on Wednesday.

According to the Riyad Mansour, at that time a draft resolution will be submitted to the council, he did not mention a date for the visit.

Mansour said Abbas would take part in an Arab League meeting on Saturday and an African Union summit in February.

Before coming to the UN the president might also meet with European Union officials, Mansour further added.

The diplomat expressed hope that the agreement would have been reached on a draft resolution.

On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump unveiled his long-awaited Middle East peace plan, envisaging a two-state solution but keeping Jerusalem as Israel’s undivided capital.

Announcing the plan from the White House with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu standing next to him, Trump said his plan “could be the last opportunity” for Palestinians, which, he said, “are in poverty and violence, exploited by those seeking to use them as pawns to advance terrorism and extremism”.

The Palestinians have already rejected the proposal, accusing Trump of being biased in favour of Israel as he has adopted policies that bolster Israel at their expense.

Under the plan, Jerusalem will remain Israel’s “undivided capital,” Trump said, raising eyebrows after he had said that the capital of the Palestinian state would be in “eastern Jerusalem,” where the United States would “proudly open an embassy.”

The plan builds on a 30-page economic plan for the West Bank and Gaza that was unveiled last June and which the Palestinians have also rejected.

(With inputs from agency)