Reports: PA President Mahmoud Abbas Instructs Staff to Sever Ties With U.S.
AP/Michel Euler
by Breitbart Jerusalem
25 Dec 2017

The Palestinian Authority’s rift with the U.S. is growing deeper, according to Israeli media outlets.

PA President Mahmoud Abbas president has come to see U.S. President Donald Trump as “a lost cause,” according to the Tims of Israel.

The PA leader reportedly instructed his staff to sever all ties with US diplomatic officials at every level, including relations between the Palestinians and American diplomats posted at the U.S. Consulate in East Jerusalem.

The White House is reportedly looking for a Palestinian liaison other than Abbas.

Last week, the Palestinians announced they would not meet with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, who was scheduled to arrive in the region. Pence visited U.S. soldiers posted in Afghanistan instead.

According to a report aired by Channel 2 news, Abbas was “not only closing the door, but throwing away the key” on the chance of any future Palestinian-American relations.

A White House official who was interviewed by the Times of Israel said in response to the Channel 2 report: “Apparently, the outlet that has reported this hasn’t been paying attention over the past several months. As we have said over and over again, we will not impose a peace deal. That is not news. We anticipated a cooling off period and remain as committed to peace as ever and are working hard on our plan, which we will present when the time is right.”

The Palestinians, according to Channel 2, have no plans to lift their boycott of the U.S.

The purported Palestinian boycott comes in response to the American recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, announced by Trump on December 6.

http://www.breitbart.com/jerusalem/2017/...sever-ties-u-s/

Seeing Trump as ‘lost cause,’ Abbas said to widen boycott to US consular staff
Palestinian leader severs ties even to US consulate, Israeli TV claims; Trump said to be withholding peace plan or seeking Abbas alternative; White House official dismissive
By TOI staff
24 December 2017, 9:35 pm 15

The disconnect between the Palestinian Authority of President Mahmoud Abbas and the US administration of President Donald Trump has widened still further, Israeli TV reports claimed Sunday night.

Abbas is said to have told all PA officials that Trump is “a lost cause” and to have ordered the PA to sever all contacts with US diplomatic officials, including those of the US consulate in East Jerusalem responsible for Palestinian affairs.

The US administration, for its part, was reported to have indicated that it is seeking a Palestinian interlocutor other than Abbas with whom it might be able to do business.

The unconfirmed reports, on Israel’s two main television stations, follow Abbas’ declared refusal to have anything further to do with Trump’s peace team in the wake of the American president’s December 6 declaration recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and announcing the intended relocation of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to the holy city.

According to Hadashot TV news, Abbas has made clear to his aides that he is “not merely closing the door” on further dealings with the Trump administration, “but also throwing away the key.”

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https://www.timesofisrael.com/seeing-us-...evel-officials/