While in Davos, Switzerland, President Donald Trump has threatened to cut Palestinian aid unless they come to the table to discuss peace with Israel. From The Times of Israel:
“That money is not going to them unless they sit down and negotiate peace, because I can tell you that Israel does want to make peace, and they’re going to have to want to make peace, too, or we’re going to have nothing to do with it any longer,” he said.
Trump made the announcement as he sat next to Israeli prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:
“If you look back at the various peace proposals, and they are endless, and I spoke to some of the people involved. And I said, ‘Did you ever talk bout the vast amount of funds, money that we give to the Palestinians? You know, we give hundreds of millions of dollars.’ And they said, ‘We never talk about it,’” Trump said. “Well, we do talk about it. When they disrespected us a week ago by not allowing our great vice president to see them, and we give them hundreds of millions of dollars in aid and support, tremendous numbers, numbers that nobody understands, that money is on the table.”The president also suggested his December 6 announcement recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and set in motion plans to move the US embassy there settled one of the key issues in the conflict.“The hardest subject they had to talk about was Jerusalem,” he said.” We took Jerusalem off the table, so we don’t have to talk about it anymore. They never got past Jerusalem. We took it off the table. We don’t have to talk about it anymore. You win one point and you’ll give up some other points later on in the negotiation — if it ever takes place. I don’t know that it ever will take place.”
Politico also noted that Trump expressed displeasure that the PA disrespected Vice President Mike Pence on his visit to the Middle East:
“They disrespected us a week ago by not allowing our great vice president to see them,” he said.Pence announced during remarks at the Knesset, Israel’s legislature, on Monday that the embassy in Jerusalem would open in 2019. His address was marked by protests from Arab Israeli lawmakers, who according to national media were escorted out of the building after contesting the comments.Pence told the Associated Press that he was “open” to meeting with Palestinian officials during the visit, but was reportedly rebuffed by President Mahmoud Abbas.Trump insisted Thursday that Palestinian leaders would need to show more “respect” if discussions were to progress.”We’ll see what happens with the peace process, but respect has to be shown to the U.S.,” Trump said Thursday.
Ten days ago, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman slammed Palestinian Authority after their leader Mahmoud Abbas spewed an anti-Trump speech. ABC News reported:
In a rambling, two and half hour long speech Sunday night, the Palestinian leader sharply escalated his rhetoric, lashing out at the U.S., Israel, Britain and even other Arab leaders, whom he told to “go to hell” for criticizing him. He pronounced the peace process dead, and accused Israel of killing it.—In the address, Abbas attacked Trump over the Jerusalem decision and rebuked Trump’s recent Twitter comment threatening to cut American aid and alleging the Palestinians were no longer willing to negotiate a peace deal.”Since when did we reject negotiations?” Abbas told members of the Palestinian Central Council, a key decision-making body. “Shame,” Abbas said, addressing Trump.To laughter from the crowd, Abbas then added the phrase “Yekhreb Beitak,” literally translated as “may your house be demolished.”
Trump brought up cutting aid to the Palestinian Authority back on January 2.
America may also cut off aid to the Palestinian Authority if the Taylor Force Act ever reaches Trump’s desk. This act, named after the Jewish American student murdered by Palestinian terrorists in March 2016, will strip funds if the PA continues to reward terrorists that kill Americans and Israelis.
Last January, Trump froze $221 million to the PA that former President Barack Obama granted in the last days of his administration.
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