Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesman for Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas, on Wednesday blasted US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo after he said that said that “annexation of the West Bank” was an “Israeli decision.”
In a statement quoted by the Xinhua news agency, Abu Rudeineh said that the United States has no right to decide the fate of “Palestinian lands” and doesn't provide legitimacy to any Israeli plan to seize it.
"The Palestinians are only who can decide the fate of their lands, on which they will establish their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital," he said.
The spokesman added that "there will be no security and stability without giving the Palestinian people their rights which were approved by the international legitimacy."
Abu Rudeineh said that Pompeo's remarks "affirm that the United States can never be a mediator in any peace process between us and the Israelis."
"These remarks are a green light for Israel to carry on with its settlement and annexation actions, a violation of all the international conventions and laws and never achieves peace by all means," he added.
Pompeo’s comment came in a press briefing in which he praised the newly-formed unity government in Israel.
“We’re happy a new government was formed. We don’t think a fourth election would have been in Israel’s best interest, but we’ll leave that to them. We don’t think it’s in the world’s best interest, we’re glad there’s now a fully-formed government in Israel.”
According to the agreement for a unity government signed by Prime Minister Netanyahu and Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz, the government will be able to apply sovereignty in the Jordan Valley and Judea and Samaria in accordance with the Trump administration's "Deal of the Century" as of early July.
The PA has expressed outrage over the unity government and particularly over the clause permitting sovereignty.
Saeb Erekat, the Secretary-General of the Palestine Liberation Organization, on Monday said that “a government coalition based on a commitment to annex more occupied Palestinian territory is a threat to a rules-based world order in general, but to peace, security and stability in the Middle East in particular.”
“Annexation means the end of any possibility for a negotiated solution. It is an international responsibility to hold the new Israeli government accountable and to demand full implementation of its obligations under international law and signed agreements,” he stated.