US is no longer credible mediator: Palestine president

By Qais Abu Samra, Mahmoud Barakat

RAMALLAH, Palestine

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday said that any peace plan proposed by the U.S. would be rejected and that Washington could no longer play a mediating role in the Israel-Palestine peace process.

Abbas made the remarks at a press conference held in Paris with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron.

He also warned of possible demographic changes to Jerusalem that threatened to affect its historical Arab identity and displace its Palestinian inhabitants.

In light of U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, Abbas said: “The U.S. is no longer an impartial mediator in the peace process and we won’t accept any of its peace proposals.”

He added: “France and other friendly countries, however, have helped build state institutions for Palestine, which we hope will not be destroyed by Israel.”

Abbas went on to say that Paris had always supported a political solution to the perennial Middle East dispute based on the concept of a “two-state solution”.

“We will continue our [peacemaking] efforts,” he said. “If they [i.e., the Israelis] accept a two-state solution with Jerusalem as capital [of a Palestinian state] based on pre-1967 borders, we’re ready to negotiate.”