MIDDLE EAST
Palestinian Authority accuses the US of bias as Washington mission shut
The Palestinian leadership vows to review all political, economic and security ties with the US
Dubai — The Palestinian Authority has vowed to reconsider its co-operation with Israel as it again accuses the US of taking sides in the Middle East peace process. Senior Palestinian official Saeb Erekat told reporters in Ramallah that the full range of political, economic and security ties will be reassessed in the wake of the Trump administration’s decision on Monday to shut down the Palestinian mission in Washington. President Donald Trump’s national security adviser, John Bolton, said the move was triggered by the Palestinian leadership’s refusal to participate in talks with Israel. But Erekat denounced it as an act of blackmail, saying the US could no longer be a mediator in the conflict. The closure of the office was the latest step in a US pressure campaign on Palestinian officials as Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is expected to release a peace plan soon. The move was, not surprisingly, praised in Israel, where a government official said the US is taking a clear stance a...
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