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Abbas' diplomatic turn puts Washington in the rear-view mirror

The Palestinian leadership appears to have decided to direct its diplomatic efforts toward the United Nations and The Hague now that the United States has openly displayed its bias in favor of Israel.
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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas made it absolutely clear during his epic two-hour speech to the Palestinian Central Council (PCC) that the US-led track for negotiating with Israel is no longer acceptable to the Palestinians. He also told the 80-member PCC assembled in Ramallah on Jan. 14 that he will not support military or anti-Israeli armed attacks, expressing his preference for diplomatic and peaceful popular resistance.

While speaking in favor of popular struggle and expressing continued support for the need for dialogue with the Israelis, it was clear that Abbas’ preferred and most-trusted diplomatic approach is the international track. This is where Palestinian power exists, as seen when 128 UN member states defied US pressure and voted in support of Palestine to uphold the status of Jerusalem at the UN General Assembly on Dec. 21, 2017, after the US administration of President Donald Trump recognized the city as the capital of Israel on Dec. 6.

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