Nabil Abu Rudeineh, the official spokesman of Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas, said on Tuesday that political and security stability in the region depends on resolving the Palestinian issue in accordance with Arab and international resolutions.
In a statement reacting to American and Israeli remarks at the Manama workshop and quoted by the PA’s official Wafa news agency, Abu Rudeineh criticized what he described as irresponsible statements by officials in the US administration and the opening of tunnels “based on myths”, a reference to the unveiling of an ancient road used by pilgrims during the Second Temple period to bring sacrifices to the Temple which was attended by US officials.
The spokesman added that the political vacuum will not be filled by a deal, plan or workshop because the initiative is represented by the steadfast Palestinian position based on the national constants, which created a Palestinian and international consensus on the need to preserve the two-state solution for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with eastern Jerusalem as its capital.
Abu Rudeineh stressed that any project intended to baffle the Palestinian position will not succeed in any way, and any attempt to create facts under the ground, such as opening a mythical tunnel, will not lead to any stability or security in the region, but will create political chaos in an already troubled region that will contribute to destabilizing the foundations of the Arab societies.
He stressed that any proposals or solutions that the Palestinian people would not accept would not have any chance of success, and although the plot of the “Deal of the Century” has faltered, the “devilish plans” are still in place.
The presence of US ambassador to Israel David Friedman and White House adviser Jason Greenblatt at Sunday’s event, organized by the City of David Foundation, has angered PA officials.
On Sunday, PLO Secretary-General Saeb Erekat launched an unprecedented personal attack on Friedman and Greenblatt for taking part in the unveiling, accusing them of promoting “racist colonial” interests.
He was particularly angry at Friedman, saying he is “not a US ambassador”, but rather, “an extremist Israeli settler”.
He criticized them again on Monday, this time saying that they had inaugurated a “fake” project.
"It has nothing to do with religion, it is fake," Erekat told journalists at his office in Ramallah.
"It's a settlement project. It's based on a lie that has nothing to do with history. This is a disgrace to any diplomat, to undermine the two-state solution, to undermine the fact that there will never be peace without east Jerusalem being the capital of Palestine," he charged.
Hamas also blasted Friedman and Greenblatt, saying their actions were the continuation of the American administration's “aggressive policy” against the Palestinian people and their holy places.