PLO Executive Committee member Hanna Amira said Monday the United States had threatened to cut ties if the Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas insisted on making his statehood bid at the United Nations on September 23.
"The U.S. government threatened to break off diplomatic relations with the PA and end financial assistance," Amira told the Hebrew-language Walla! on Monday.
"All the American demands for chairman Abbas to cancel his request for statehood in the United Nations Security Council were rejected," Amira said.
"We ask for the Arab nation to formulate a rescue plan in the event the United States does stop aid to the PA."
Amira's pleas for Arab states to come to the PA's rescue puts the lie to Abbas' blithe dismissal of such threats and reveals PA officials are genuinely worried that the US may cut aid.
On Monday, Israel's deputy foreign minister Danny Ayalon told UN officials Israel may terminate economic cooperation with the PA if it goes through with the bid that circumvents peace negotiations.
Amira also said the proposals advanced by the Quartet on Sunday were "useless" and reiterated a statement made earlier this year that the PA may formally nullify the Oslo Accords.
"There are proposals on the table for discussion, including the abandonment of the PLO of its obligations under the agreements signed and implemented," Amira said, stressing that the situation will not remain as it is now
"Things after September will be as they were before [Oslo]," he added.
Such a move would render all agreements between Israel and the PA governing ministerial contacts, transfer of tax revenues and banking, security coordination, and Israel's providing critical infrastructure such as electricity, telecommunications, and water to PA enclaves null and void.
It would also release Israel from the obligation not to build in areas currently administered by the PA.