Al Jazeera News :
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will not meet US Vice President Mike Pence during the latter’s visit to the region this month, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki has said.
The snub over the US’ recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital came after Egypt’s Coptic Church on Saturday also cancelled an upcoming meeting with Pence in protest against Washington’s move on Jerusalem.
The policy change will also see the US embassy to Israel move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a decision that has sparked anger and protests throughout the occupied Palestinian territories, and drawn condemnation from world leaders.
On Thursday, a day after US President Donald Trump formally made the announcement, Jibril Rajoub, a senior
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will not meet US Vice President Mike Pence during the latter’s visit to the region this month, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki has said.
The snub over the US’ recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital came after Egypt’s Coptic Church on Saturday also cancelled an upcoming meeting with Pence in protest against Washington’s move on Jerusalem.
The policy change will also see the US embassy to Israel move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a decision that has sparked anger and protests throughout the occupied Palestinian territories, and drawn condemnation from world leaders.
On Thursday, a day after US President Donald Trump formally made the announcement, Jibril Rajoub, a senior
Fatah politician, said, “we will not receive him [Pence] in the Palestinian territories”.
Pence’s visit to the region involves stops in Egypt, Israel and the West Bank, the White House said in October. The vice president was scheduled to meet Abbas in Bethlehem on December 19.
“In the name of Fatah, I say that we will not welcome Trump’s deputy in the Palestinian territories. He asked to meet (Abbas) on the 19th of this month in Bethlehem, such a meeting will not take place,” Rajoub said.
On Wednesday, as Trump made his announcement, he spoke about Pence’s visit in his speech, with the vice president at his side.
