Fatah official: US threats to cut aid to the PA are “extortionist”
Headline: "Azzam Al-Ahmad: The PA will not be dismantled and the battle is open against the Trump administration"
"Fatah Movement Central Committee member Azzam Al-Ahmad said that the American administration is planning to take a series of steps in order to pressure the PA, among them stopping the aid and cutting off ties and relations between the sides… He noted that the American administration is talking today about ‘stopping the aid to the PA, and this is a decision that congress has already voted on previously,’ and he said: '[US President Donald] Trump's extortionist mentality regarding stopping the aid does not scare the Palestinians, who cannot be bought for money by anyone.' […]
Al-Ahmad noted that ‘Our battle against the American administration is open until it reexamines its latest decision regarding Jerusalem [recognizing it as Israel's capital] and rescinds this decision.' He added: 'We are not at all sorry about the situation that our relations with the US have reached. We are not interested in harming anyone, but the Palestinian side will respond to whoever relates to it with enmity, will hold them responsible, and will stand against them in order to defend the Palestinian cause.’"
US recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel - On Dec. 6, 2017, US President Donald Trump formally recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and instructed the State Department to begin preparations to transfer the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump added that the final borders of Jerusalem will be determined during negotiations.
"Fatah Movement Central Committee member Azzam Al-Ahmad said that the American administration is planning to take a series of steps in order to pressure the PA, among them stopping the aid and cutting off ties and relations between the sides… He noted that the American administration is talking today about ‘stopping the aid to the PA, and this is a decision that congress has already voted on previously,’ and he said: '[US President Donald] Trump's extortionist mentality regarding stopping the aid does not scare the Palestinians, who cannot be bought for money by anyone.' […]
Al-Ahmad noted that ‘Our battle against the American administration is open until it reexamines its latest decision regarding Jerusalem [recognizing it as Israel's capital] and rescinds this decision.' He added: 'We are not at all sorry about the situation that our relations with the US have reached. We are not interested in harming anyone, but the Palestinian side will respond to whoever relates to it with enmity, will hold them responsible, and will stand against them in order to defend the Palestinian cause.’"
US recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel - On Dec. 6, 2017, US President Donald Trump formally recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and instructed the State Department to begin preparations to transfer the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump added that the final borders of Jerusalem will be determined during negotiations.