Diplomacy

U.S. Envoy Greenblatt Slams Erakat for Disparaging Peace Efforts
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U.S. Envoy Slams PA for “Disparaging” Peace Efforts

by TheTower.org Staff |

Jason Greenblatt, the United States Special Representative for International Negotiations, on Thursday, slammed a senior Palestinian official for sabotaging the Trump administration’s peace initiative.

Greenblatt wrote on Twitter that Saeb Erekat, the Secretary-General of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s Executive Committee, had characterized efforts to broker a lasting peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians as “an apartheid system with ghettos for Palestinians.”

The envoy blasted Erekat for disparaging a peace deal which has not get been revealed to relevant parties. “Saeb, regretfully you continue to deceive your people – you know nothing about the contents of our plan,” Greenblatt said.

“Your speculation is not helpful and to the contrary, it harms the Palestinian people and the prospects for peace. What exactly do you hope to achieve with this speculation?” he asked.

Greenblatt cited a comment by Erekat in which the Palestinian official suggested that “Hamas and all those calling on President Abbas to resign and the PLO to dissolve itself are tools being used to implement the deal of the century …”

The envoy dismissed the comment as conspiracy theory devoid of evidence. “Saeb- We aren’t working w/ Hamas. You know that,” Greenblatt tweeted.

“I know there’s a bitter rivalry between Fatah & Hamas. Don’t bring us into that fight. Our plan will benefit all Palestinians. You can criticize it (fairly I hope) when you see it. But don’t use it to further split the Palestinians,” he added.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said in May 2018 that “I will not end my life as a traitor. [The U.S.] can announce the deal whenever and wherever they want, but nothing will happen against our will.” The Palestinian leader has rejected the U.S.-led effort from the start without ever having seen a detailed draft of the plan.

During the terms of Trump’s predecessor, President Barack Obama, Abbas derailed the administration’s two biggest pushes for Israeli-Palestinian peace. And in 2015, Abbas admitted that he rejected a peace offer from then-Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in 2008.

Earlier this month, The White House confirmed that the yet-to-be-revealed peace plan was all but complete but would not be unveiled for a few months, partly because of the upcoming Knesset election on April 9.

[Photo: INSS ISRAEL / YouTube ]

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