PLO executive calls UAE-Israel peace deal a "knife in the back of the Palestinian people"
Official PA TV, live broadcast of the signing of the peace agreements between Israel and the UAE and Bahrain at the White House – see note below; hosting PLO Executive Committee member Saleh Rafat and Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) Political Bureau member Kayed Al-Ghoul
PLO Executive Committee member Saleh Rafat: “What was done today is a knife in the back of the Palestinian people, but the Palestinian people remains standing firm on its national land, and determined to continue its national struggle against the occupation in order to thwart the deal of the century (i.e., refers to US President Donald Trump’s Middle East peace plan) and thwart the normalization that the UAE and the State of Bahrain have carried out.We rely on the people of the UAE and the people of Bahrain, because they are not in favor of the normalization with the Israeli occupation state, and we rely on all the Arab parties and Arab public organizations, which we call on them to take part together with us in activity against any future normalization by any Arab state.”
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PFLP Political Bureau member Kayed Al-Ghoul: “What is required of us Palestinians is to stand against the difficulties that will stem from this step and any future steps, first of all through more unity between us… reconsolidating our strategy, and managing the struggle with the Israeli occupation – consolidating our strategy according to the principle that Palestine is our property. Israel [says] that they have a right to all of Palestine, and by contrast we [say] that the Palestinians have a right to all of Palestine, [and we need] to get into the struggle and manage it against the occupation according to this principle. This is what could rehabilitate the image of the Palestinian historical narrative among our Arab peoples.”
Saleh Rafat also serves as head of the PLO Military and Security Department.
Israeli peace agreements with the UAE and Bahrain
The Trump peace plan – US President Donald Trump announced his Israel–Palestinian peace plan "Peace to Prosperity" – commonly known as “the deal of the century” - on Jan. 28, 2020. Main points of the plan: 1- Israeli sovereignty would be applied to the Jordan Valley and all Israeli towns and cities in the West Bank. 2- Jerusalem, including all its holy sites, would remain under Israeli sovereignty with accommodations made to enable access for Palestinians. 3- The remainder of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and part of what is currently Israeli land in the Negev, the Galilee, and Jerusalem - creating a territory almost equal in size to the West Bank and Gaza Strip - would form the Palestinian state, with its capital in neighborhoods in East Jerusalem that are outside of Israel's security wall. 4- The Palestinian state would be demilitarized, with Israel responsible for external security and controlling all airspace. 5- All Palestinian prisoners except murderers, and those who attempted or conspired to murder would be released. 6- Palestinians in refugee camps would be absorbed into their host countries and, subject to certain limitations, into the Palestinian state. 7- Before becoming a state, the Palestinians would have to carry out extensive reform of their laws and institutions, including implementing a new governing system; granting its people due process and basic human rights and freedoms; end all incitement to and incentivizing of terror; end all glorification of terror and martyrdom; disarm Hamas; and adopt a culture promoting peace. The goal of the plan is to create a Palestinian state beside Israel, living in peace and security. The implementation would be facilitated through extensive international investment.