Abbas embarks on trip to wage battle over Trump's 'Deal of the Century'

Abbas is traveling from one Arab country to another in an attempt to prevent Middle East countries from supporting Trump's peace plan.

By SARA RUBENSTEIN
Updated: FEBRUARY 13, 2019 12:28
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (photo credit: REUTERS/MOHAMAD TOROKMAN)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
(photo credit: REUTERS/MOHAMAD TOROKMAN)
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has embarked on a trip to moderate Arab countries to wage a battle against US President Donald Trump's "Deal of the Century," according to a report published by Israel Hayom on Wednesday.
Abbas is traveling from one Arab country to another in an attempt to prevent Middle East countries from supporting Trump's peace plan.
Palestinian news agency, Ma'an, carried pictures from Abbas's trip to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday where he met with Saudi king Salman in Riyadh. Salman said that " Saudi Arabia permanently stands by Palestine and its people's right to an independent state with the occupied East Jerusalem as its capital," according to Ma'an.
Abbas is also trying to convince Arab leaders to support Palestinian demands on core issues, including Israel's withdrawal to the 1967 borders and recognition of east Jerusalem as the capital of an independent Palestinian state.
Senior Advisor Jared Kushner and Special Representative for International Negotiations, Jason Greenblatt, are expected to travel to the Middle East in the near future to present the plan to the relevant countries.
The assessment in Ramallah, Israel Hayom said, is that the Trump government will encourage Arab states to begin implementing the plan following Israeli elections and the formation of the new government in May.