Palestinians recall envoy to US to consult over al-Quds move

Palestinians recall envoy to US to consult over al-Quds move
Mon Jan 1, 2018 08:11:15

The Palestinians said Sunday they were recalling their envoy to the United States for consultations in a move that follows US President Donald Trump's designation of al-Quds as Israel's capital.

(AFP) -- Palestinian foreign minister Riad al-Malki decided to recall PLO envoy to Washington Husam Zomlot to consult, official Palestinian news agency WAFA said, without providing further details.

Trump's December 6 announcement regarding the disputed city deeply angered the Palestinians and led to unrest.

Palestinian officials had earlier said president Mahmud Abbas would refuse to meet US Vice President Mike Pence during a visit to the region that had been planned for December but which was later cancelled.

Abbas has also said he would accept no further role for the United States in the Middle East peace process.

Violence since Trump's announcement has left 13 Palestinians dead, with most killed in clashes with Israeli forces.

On Sunday, while marking the 53rd anniversary of his Fatah movement, Abbas called al-Quds "the eternal capital of the Palestinian people".

Israel occupied east al-Quds and the West Bank in the 1967 Six-Day War. It later annexed east al-Quds in a move never recognised by the international community.

Israel has hailed Trump's decision as historic and urged other countries to follow suit.

Guatemala is so far the only country to do so, saying it planned to move its embassy in Israel to al-Quds.

No countries currently have their embassies in al-Quds, instead keeping them in the Israeli commercial capital Tel Aviv.

(Photo: AFP)

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