Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesman for Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas, on Saturday downplayed U.S. efforts to promote peace talks between Israel and the PA.
Speaking ahead of a visit to the region by President Donald Trump's senior advisor Jared Kushner and his envoy to the Middle East Jason Greenblatt, Abu Rudeineh said the two are promoting a "meaningless plan" and "will achieve nothing.”
"Without the agreement of the Palestinian people, the fate of this round of meetings will be complete failure," declared Abu Rudeineh.
He also criticized the U.S. for what he said were attempts to "divide the Gaza strip from the West Bank under humanitarian pretexts."
Kushner and Greenblatt are scheduled to visit Jerusalem, Cairo and Riyadh this week as they prepare to present the Trump administration’s peace plan, but will not visit Ramallah or meet any PA officials.
Abbas has refused to consider the Trump administration an honest broker for peace negotiations with Israel since Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital last December.
PA officials have repeatedly rejected the Trump administration’s peace proposal, claiming it has been coordinated with Israel.
Abu Rudeineh last week said that Trump’s so-called "Deal of the Century" will never be a prelude to a successful political process as long as the city of Al-Quds (the Arabic name for Jerusalem -ed.) and the issue of the “Palestinian refugees” are not included in it.
"If the United States continues to act to change the rules regarding relations with the Palestinian leadership and our Palestinian people then the stagnation and political paralysis will continue," he said.