RAMALLAH, West Bank — As an alternative to US sponsorship, the Palestinian Authority (PA) is looking to recruit an international coalition to guide the peace process with Israel. The PA no longer considers the United States a reliable negotiator in light of US President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
On Dec. 19, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas sent delegations to Russia and China to discuss the possibility of those countries taking an active role in the peace process. Abbas adviser Nabil Shaath spoke Dec. 20 with Al-Monitor by phone after arriving in Beijing. He had just visited Moscow "as part of our delegation's mission to search for new sponsors for the peace process," he said.