PA President Abbas (R) meets EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini
PA President Abbas (R) meets EU foreign policy chief Federica MogheriniFlash 90

A new report in the London-based Al Hayat newspaper says that Palestinian Authority (PA) chief Mahmoud Abbas will appeal to the European Union in an attempt to sideline US President Donald Trump's role in the Israeli-Arab conflict.

The report quoted a senior PA figure who said that Abbas will ask the EU to increase the funding they provide to the PA in order to make up for the budget shortfall should Trump cut American aid to the PA as he has threatened. The source also said that Abbas will "ask the EU to recognize Palestine within 1967 borders with east Jerusalem as its capital".

The EU already announced in October that it plans to increase the amount of aid it grants to the PA from 80 million euro to 320 million euro a year.

Abbas is reportedly frustrated with Trump, who he believes is staunchly pro-Israel. Last week, the White House said that it is actively looking at cutting aid to the Palestinian Authority, and held a discussion on the matter last Friday.

The move follows President Donald Trump's tweets in which he expressed doubt over the usefulness of American aid to the Palestinians, given their refusal to resume peace talks with Israel.

"We are reviewing our assistance to the Palestinians in light of their recent conduct, per the president's recent message," an official told Haaretz.

PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas, fuming over Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, has announced he would not accept any U.S. peace plan.

"The United States has proven to be a dishonest mediator in the peace process and we will no longer accept any plan from it," Abbas said at a press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron last month.