National and Islamic Forces succeed in preventing US embassy event in Ramallah

Headline: "The [Palestinian National and Islamic] Forces in Ramallah: The cancellation of the meeting with the commercial attaché of the 'American settlement' in Jerusalem is another Palestinian victory"

"The [Palestinian] National and Islamic Forces in the Ramallah and El-Bireh district yesterday [Aug. 28, 2019] condemned the call of the commercial attaché from the 'American settlement' in occupied Jerusalem (i.e., the US embassy) to hold a meeting with Palestinian business people and economists.

The meeting was meant to take place today in Ramallah to discuss cooperation, but it was thwarted at the last minute.

The forces said that inviting the business people – and this was after inviting [people] to a conference of young people, which was also thwarted earlier – constitutes the Americans  deliberately, arrogantly, and rudely  ignoring our people's legal frameworks and bodies, and an attempt to bypass them and create direct contact with Palestinian figures and institutions through the embassy.

In a press release, the forces noted that the invitation to the meeting comes at a time when Washington has erased the name ‘Palestine’ from the official American websites, and is acting to eliminate the national cause through the so-called deal of the century (i.e., US President Donald Trump's as yet unpublished Middle East peace plan)…

The forces saluted the business people who refused to participate in the meeting, and also the management of the restaurant where it was meant to take place, which refused to receive those invited. [The forces] also warned against the consequences of responding to any invitation from the embassy or any American institution that supports the occupation and US policy, which denies our people's rights and the decisions of international institutions.

They warned any party, institution, framework, or person who would respond to these suspicious invitations that their goal is to undermine the internal stability.

[The press release] also said: 'As the forces announce the thwarting of this meeting in Ramallah, they emphasize that they will take every step necessary in order to thwart such meetings from being held in the future. We turn to American Ambassador settler [David] Friedman in the clearest manner: The Palestinian people will not take part in investments whose goal is to give away its rights in exchange for dubious American aid money. These cheap attempts will not harm the resolve of the Palestinian people and its leadership, who oppose the deal of the century and adhere to the legitimate national rights. The only way to establish peace and stability throughout the region is to end the occupation of our land and recognize the rights of our people."

Palestinian National and Islamic Forces - an unaffiliated coordinating body comprised of representatives from factions in the PLO and outside the PLO. The Palestinian National and Islamic Forces were established in 2000 shortly after the start of the PA terror campaign (the second Intifada, 2000-2005), under the authorization of Yasser Arafat and the leadership of terrorist Marwan Barghouti. During the PA terror campaign it played an active role in coordinating political efforts and terror attacks against Israel, but since the end of the campaign it has been less significant and its activity is primarily centered in Gaza.