Palestinians won't be part in Trump's deal: PLO official

RAMALLAH – Secretary General of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Saeb Erekat said Sunday that the Palestinians will not take part in any peace deal presented by U.S. President Donald Trump. 

Erekat made his statement on the official radio Voice of Palestine, hours ahead of the expected arrival of U.S. State Secretary Mike Pompeo in Israel on Sunday. 

The top PLO official reiterated that Trump has isolated himself from the peace process by recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital and his attempt to drop the issue of Palestinian refugees off the table. 

He added that "the United States cannot be a partner or a mediator in the peace process unless it changes its position of recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel because it is meaningless to have a Palestinian state without East Jerusalem as its capital." 

Friday night, Israeli media reports said that Trump might present his Middle East peace deal after the inauguration of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem in May. The deal may include financial compensation for Palestinians. 

In response to that, Erekat said that "this is morally unacceptable and Palestine is neither sold nor bought with money." 
Erekat reiterated Palestinian position of calling for peace based on the two-state solution in line with international legitimacy resolutions. 

The tension between the Palestinians and the United States has been rising since last October, and was intensified when Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and ordered the relocation of the U.S. embassy in the city on Dec. 6, 2017. Enditem 
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