- Title: Senior Palestinian official slams Trump's peace plan
- Date: 29th January 2020
- Summary: RAMALLAH, WEST BANK (JANUARY 29, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SENIOR PALESTINIAN OFFICIAL SAEB EREKAT MEETING WITH FOREIGN DIPLOMATS (SOUNDBITE) (English) SENIOR PALESTINIAN OFFICIAL SAEB EREKAT, SAYING: "I think what President Trump presented yesterday was not an American plan. I think the American peace team copy and pasted the plan of Mr. Netanyahu and the settlers' council’s plans. This is verbatim what I heard from Mr. Netanyahu and his negotiating teams between 2011-2012. I don't think that the American team put a single word in this. It's about annexation, it's about apartheid, it's about departing the Oslo accord and the agreement signed and international law, it's departing the idea of making peace between Palestinians and Israelis." VARIOUS OF MEETING (SOUNDBITE) (English) SENIOR PALESTINIAN OFFICIAL SAEB EREKAT, SAYING: "This is not a plan of peace. This is a scandal and the fraud of the century." EREKAT SHAKING HANDS, PARTING FROM FOREIGN DIPLOMATS
- Embargoed: 12th February 2020 13:44
- Keywords: Israel Palestinians Trump plan West Bank annexation settlements
- Location: RAMALLAH, WEST BANK
- City: RAMALLAH, WEST BANK
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA001BY88APZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Top Palestinian official Saeb Erekat on Wednesday (January 29) said that U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East peace plan was "a scandal and the fraud of the century."
Speaking in Ramallah after a meeting with foreign diplomats, Erekat denounced Trump's plan and said that the American team "copy-pasted" it from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plans.
Trump's proposal to create a Palestinian state as part of a Middle East peace plan drew Palestinian condemnation for imposing strict conditions, and praise from Israelis for allowing Israel to maintain control of long-contested West Bank settlements.
Trump announced his plan for Israeli-Palestinian peace on Tuesday (January 28), at a White House event with embattled Netanyahu standing at his side. It includes what Trump called a four-year freeze by Israel on new settlement activity.
It seemed unlikely to immediately advance Israeli-Palestinian talks that broke down in 2014, but the plan was called "an important starting point for a return to negotiations" by the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia and Egypt also offered encouraging statements.
Palestinians have refused to deal with the Trump administration in protest at pro-Israel policies such as moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the eastern part of which is sought by the Palestinians.
(Production: Saed Hawari, Lianne Back) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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