RAMALLAH: Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas on Saturday said that the Palestinian Authority will “reconsider” its relationship with the United States after Washington vetoed a Palestinian bid for full UN membership earlier this week.
In an interview with the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, Abbas stated, “The Palestinian leadership will reconsider bilateral relations with the United States to ensure the protection of our people’s interests, our cause, and our rights.”
Abbas’s remarks come in response to Thursday’s UN Security Council vote, where 12 countries backed a resolution recommending full Palestinian membership, while two countries, Britain and Switzerland, abstained. The United States, Israel’s staunchest ally, vetoed the resolution, blocking its passage.
“The Palestinian leadership will develop a new strategy to protect Palestinian national decisions independently and follow a Palestinian agenda rather than an American vision or regional agendas,” Abbas emphasized.
Expressing discontent with the US government’s stance, Abbas highlighted that the veto has sparked “unprecedented anger” among the Palestinian people and the wider region’s populations. He warned that such actions could lead to further instability, chaos, and terrorism in the region.
Abbas also underscored the need for the Palestinian Authority to assert its independence and sovereignty in decision-making, distancing itself from policies that have proven ineffective and garnered international criticism.
