(AP) — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has called on the United Nations to take charge of the Mideast peace process, and revamp it with a new mechanism since Washington is allegedly no longer “fit” for the task.
Abbas spoke at a gathering of Islamic countries hosted by Turkey on Wednesday. The summit is meant to hammer out a united stance in the wake of President Donald Trump’s recognition earlier this month of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Abbas says the Palestinians are committed to a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and will continue to fight violence. But he added that following Trump’s move on Jerusalem, Washington is not accepted as a fair negotiator.
Abbas also said it’s time for countries who accept the two-state solution to recognize Palestine as a state. He urged those who recognize Israel to reconsider, saying the Jewish state has not committed to any international resolution.
He said the U.S. decision on Jerusalem should galvanize Arab, Muslim and Christian support for the city and that it seeks to change the identity of the divided city, which is home to some of the most sacred Muslim sanctuaries.