Skip to main content

Abbas caught between rock and hard place as Trump unveils Mideast plan

A strong Palestinian response to the Mideast peace plan requires national unity, which is currently lacking among Palestinian factions.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas delivers a speech following the announcement by the U.S. President Donald Trump of the Mideast peace plan, in Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank January 28, 2020. REUTERS/Raneen Sawafta - RC27PE95MPTR

Palestinian presidential adviser Nabil Shaath reflected on the dilemma facing President Mahmoud Abbas following the unveiling of the Peace to Prosperity plan for the Middle East. “The president has re-emphasized the need for national unity, and has agreed to a request to go to Gaza to attend a unity meeting, has supported the need for popular struggle and has called for [revisiting] the functions of the Palestinian Authority,” he told Al-Monitor.

He added, “The decision to implement the decisions of the Palestine national and central councils will obviously include the decision to suspend security coordination.”

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.