After Israeli Channel 13 reported Jan. 23 that the Donald Trump administration would reveal its plan for Middle East peace, Palestinian leaders reiterated their rejection of the so-called deal of the century even before learning of the details.

In the lead up to elections in Israel scheduled for March 2, Trump invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his political rival Benny Gantz, leader of Blue and White, to visit the White House Jan. 28 for details and unveiling of the deal. With Palestinians publicly rejecting the proposal even before its public presentation, approval of it at some later date appears unlikely and will deepen the current rupture with Washington. According to recent media reports, Abbas is refusing to take Trump's calls.

On Jan. 15 in Ramallah, Fatah deputy leader Mahmoud al-Aloul had said in a meeting with members of the international press that the Palestinian leadership still has no specifics about the plan's proposals, but nonetheless feels certain that it neither includes the establishment of a Palestinian state, East Jerusalem as the capital of that state or the right of return for refugees. For these reasons, he said, the Palestinian leadership will oppose the plan.

On Dec. 19 Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had told Fatah’s Revolutionary Council of his rejection of Trump's deal and of the tremendous pressure he was under by the United States to accept it. Abbas has consistently refused to communicate with Trump’s representative to discuss the plan's details despite the negative consequences he stands to suffer.