https://arab.news/nh4t2
- Aoun calls Abbas in solidarity, while Iran foreign minister urges 鈥榰nited Arab response鈥�
BEIRUT: Angry Palestinian refugees in Lebanon set fire to American and Israeli flags in response to US President Donald Trump鈥檚 Middle East peace offer, vowing the deal 鈥渨ill not pass.鈥�
Refugees in Lebanese camps and towns took to the streets to voice their opposition to the so-called 鈥渄eal of the century,鈥� burning pictures of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and calling on the Arab League to reject the offer.
The plan envisages a Palestinian state and the recognition of Israeli sovereignty over West Bank settlements.
The US leader said Jerusalem would remain Israel鈥檚 鈥渦ndivided鈥� capital, but the Palestinian capital would 鈥渋nclude areas of East Jerusalem.鈥�
Reacting to Tuesday鈥檚 announcement, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Jerusalem was 鈥渘ot for sale.鈥�
鈥淎ll our rights are not for sale and are not for bargain,鈥� he added.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun called Abbas on Wednesday to affirm 鈥淟ebanon鈥檚 solidarity with the Palestinian people in facing the deal of the century,鈥� according to his media office.
Aoun stressed 鈥渢he importance of a unified Arab response,鈥� saying Lebanon believes Palestinians have a right to an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.
The Lebanese leader held talks with Foreign Minister Nassif Hitti ahead of a meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Cairo next Saturday.
鈥淎ny attempt to achieve a partial peace that does not guarantee the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital will not succeed,鈥� Hitti said.
鈥淣o one will give up their national identity in exchange for material temptations.鈥�
Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri received a call from his Iranian counterpart Ali Larijani, who urged 鈥淎rab and Islamic peoples to reject the deal of the century.鈥�
Berri said later that 鈥淟ebanon will not be a false witness at the new execution party for the Palestinian people.鈥�
Palestinian rights will not be 鈥渂artered for money,鈥� he added.
Prime Minister Hassan Diab tweeted: 鈥淛erusalem will remain the compass and Palestine will remain the issue.鈥�
Hezbollah also rejected the offer, describing it as 鈥渁 very dangerous step that will have very bad repercussions for the future of the region and its peoples.鈥�
The party warned that 鈥渢he settlement project aims to create social, demographic and transitional tensions that serve only the interests of the enemy and its expansionist goals.鈥�
Riad Tabbarah, former Lebanese ambassador to Washington, told Arab News the international community is unlikely to recognize the deal since the 鈥渄isregard of the issue of refugees changes nothing on the ground.鈥�
Speaking on the Arab League鈥檚 position, Tabbarah said: 鈥淚 do not think any Arab country would dare take an anti-Palestinian stance. The presence of three Arab countries at the Trump and Netanyahu press conference does not necessarily mean they support the peace plan.鈥�
Former Lebanese prime minister Salim Al-Hoss described the Trump deal as a 鈥渉einous crime that destroys the right of a people and abolishes an Arab homeland called Palestine.鈥�
Another former leader, Fouad Siniora, said the deal ignored previous international agreements.
鈥淚t is a plan for the continuation of the Arab-Israeli conflict,鈥� he added.