Palestinian president reiterates opposition to U.S. peace deal

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday reiterated his opposition to U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East peace plan, known as the "Deal of the Century," in the high-level meetings of his Fatah Party in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Mahmoud Abbas, President of Palestine, delivers a speech at the United Nations during the United Nations General Assembly on September 27, 2018 in New York City. [File Photo: VCG/Getty Images/Stephanie Keith]

While addressing Fatah's Central Committee, Abbas said that "our position in the past is our position now and has never changed: we will not accept the Deal of the Century and will not accept the Manama workshop," referring to the U.S.-led economic workshop held last month in Bahrain.

Palestinian supporters of the Islamic Jihad movement take part in a protest against the Bahrain economic workshop, in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, June 25, 2019. [Photo: IC/APA Images via Zuma Wire/Mahmoud Ajjour]

Commenting on Israel's withholding of the Palestinian tax revenue, Abbas said the Palestinian leadership will not accept the money transfers made by Israel if it was not paid in full.

He also condemned the recent Israeli excavations in the Old City of Jerusalem, saying "the excavations taking place in the occupied city of Jerusalem are a very serious issue, and we must not allow the Israelis to continue to tamper with the eternal capital of Palestine."

Abbas said that a few of issues will be discussed during the Fatah meeting, on top of which are the recent events in Lebanon in the aftermath of the Lebanese labor minister's decisions against companies hiring Palestinian workers.

"We do not want any tensions or escalation with Lebanon, and we want to foil any attempt by anyone who wants to destroy the excellent relations between us and our brothers in Lebanon," he explained.

The president added that the meeting will also discuss the recent official visits of Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Ishtaye to Jordan and Iraq.