Trump repeated his highly controversial endorsement of occupied Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s “undivided capital” as he outlined his administration’s self-styled plan for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which Palestinians have already dismissed.
He endorsed his contentious recognition in December 2017 of Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s “capital,” a move he took in the face of Palestinian demands that the holy city should serve as the capital of their future state. He said the plan envisages the city as the Israeli regime’s “undivided capital.”
The so-called peace plan is widely expected to take the US’s pro-Israeli brinksmanship to a whole new level, with various reports warning that it seeks to lay the groundwork for Israel’s annexation of about half of the West Bank, which the regime occupied in 1967, including most of the Jordan Valley.
Thousands of Palestinians protested in Gaza, and people across the West Bank and Jerusalem voiced their objection and anger over the contentious plan.
Here we will take a look at stances of different countries and figures towards the plan:
President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas: Palestine is not for sale
"I say to Trump and Netanyahu: Jerusalem is not for sale, all our rights are not for sale and are not for bargain. And your deal, the conspiracy, will not pass," Abbas said in a televised address in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah, PressTV reported.
The Palestinian president also warned that the people of Palestine would never accept Trump’s proposal, saying, "What should I wait for? If Jerusalem is not part of it (a Palestinian state) will we accept a State without Jerusalem? It is impossible for any Palestinian, Muslim or Christian child to accept this. Therefore, we told them from the beginning, No!"
Hamas vows to confront Trump’s aggressive proposal
Hamas said it would confront Trump's "aggressive" proposals and accused him of talking "nonsense" about Jerusalem al-Quds.
"This is our land and this is our capital, we will not accept any alternative, we will not accept only part of it nor part out of it. Jerusalem is Palestine's capital and we don't care about Trump. Jerusalem will stay ours with all its churches, al-Aqsa mosque and all the sacred sites," said Khalil al-Hayya, a senior member of the Hamas political bureau.
Hezbollah slams the plan as ‘deal of shame’
In a statement, Hezbollah’s Media Relations Office “denounces and firmly rejects the Deal of Shame launched by the brutal administration of Trump at the expense of the Palestinian people, their land, holy sites and legitimate right,” Almanar reported.
“The deal is a very dangerous step that will have grave repercussions on the future of the region and its people,” Hezbollah noted, adding, “The US administration’s aggression (against Palestinian people) has reached its peak today. After decades of backing the enemy, its occupation, violations and massacres against Arab people, this satanic administration is attempting to quell the historic and legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.”
The announcement of the deal proves that the choice of resistance is the only one to liberate the land and regain the holy sites, Hezbollah said, stressing that all paths of negotiations can’t do so, “but even, they make the enemy ruder and more aggressive.”
Russia calls for joining of Middle East Quartet to discussions on the deal
The Middle East Quartet must join the discussions of the so-called 'deal of the century', Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a press conference in Moscow on Tuesday, Sputnik reported. The foreign minister was referring to a group of four entities, namely the United Nations, the US, the EU and Russia, who are involved in mediating the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
"Undoubtedly, I would like such a plan to be analysed by the quartet of international mediators - a mechanism that has rarely been implemented in recent years", the minister said.
Lavrov stated that if such a deal indeed exists, the Palestinian stance should also be taken into account, adding that Russia has not familiarised itself with this initiative.
"We need to wait for the official release of the text of this agreement which will hopefully be made public", Lavrov said.
Meanwhile, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the Kremlin would not comment on the deal before learning its substance.
Turkey condemns ‘stillborn’ deal
"This is an annexation plan aiming at usurping Palestinian lands and killing two-state solution," Turkey’s Foreign Ministry noted in a statement, adding that Palestinian people and lands cannot be purchased.
Stressing that Jerusalem was a red line in the eyes of Turkey, the statement said Ankara would not let Israel justify its occupation and persecution. "We will always stand by the brotherly people of Palestine. We will continue to work for an independent Palestine within Palestinian lands."
The statement concluded that Turkey would not support any plan that is not accepted by the Palestinian authorities, adding that peace in the Middle East would not be obtained if policies based on occupation did not end.
UN committed to two-state solution on 'pre-1967 lines'
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres according to his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the UN supports two states living in peace and security within recognised borders, on the basis of the pre-1967 borders.
"The United Nations remains committed to supporting Palestinians and Israelis to resolve the conflict on the basis of United Nations resolutions, international law and bilateral agreements and realizing the vision of two States - Israel and Palestine - living side by side in peace and security within recognized borders, on the basis of the pre-1967 lines."
London claims plan can be ‘positive step’
"The leaders (Johnson and Trump) discussed the United States' proposal for peace between Israelis and Palestinians, which could prove a positive step forwards," said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesperson.
Dominic Raab, Britain's foreign minister, called on Israeli and Palestinian leaders to give fair consideration to the initiative.
"This is clearly a serious proposal, reflecting extensive time and effort," claimed Raab in a statement. "We encourage them (leaders) to give these plans genuine and fair consideration, and explore whether they might prove a first step on the road back to negotiations," he said.
Yemen’s Ansarullah slams deal as ‘blatant US aggression on Palestinians’
Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a leader of Yemen's Houthi rebels, said Trump's proposal was "blatant US aggression on Palestine and the nation,” Aljazeera reported.
"It is a deal funded by Saudi (Arabia) and the UAE (United Arab Emirates) to cement Israeli occupation," he said. "The people of the region have to bear the responsibility of standing up to this danger and facing it with every possible and legitimate means."
Saudi Arabia claims to be committed to Palestinian rights
Saudi Arabia's King Salman reassured the Kingdom's commitment to the Palestinian issue and Palestinian rights, in a phone call with Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas, the Saudi state news agency reported early on Wednesday.
Egypt calls for careful consideration of plan by parties
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry called on Palestinians and Israelis to ‘carefully study’ the deal. It claimed in a statement that the plan favors a solution that restores all the "legitimate rights" of the Palestinian people through establishing an “independent and sovereign state on the occupied Palestinian territories".
Jordan warns against annexation of Palestinian lands
Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi warned against warning against the "dangerous consequences of unilateral Israeli measures that aim to impose new realities on the ground."
Ayman Safadi called for direct negotiations that solve all final status issues in a comprehensive solution in accordance with established terms of reference, the Arab peace initiative and international law.
Establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital on the basis of a two-state solution is the only path to comprehensive and lasting peace, Safadi said in a statement, adding, "Jordan supports every genuine effort aimed at achieving just and comprehensive peace that people will accept."
Ayatollah Sistani condemns the deal
Condemning the plan, Iraq’s top Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani said that it has hurt emotions of hundreds of millions of Muslims and Arabs across the world, according to a statement released by his office.
MNA/PR
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