Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman of PA President Mahmoud Abbas

Adam Rasgon writes in Times of Israel, “Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s spokesman on Friday slammed statements that Jared Kushner, a senior adviser to US president Donald Trump, made in an interview with an American newspaper, contending that they reflect “ignorance of the reality of the [Israeli-Palestinian] conflict. Nabil Abu Rudeinah said in comments published on the official PA news site Wafa: “Peace will only come through a two-state solution, including East Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Palestine, in accordance with legitimate international resolutions and Arab League summit decisions.”

“In an interview published in The New York Times on Thursday, Kushner argued that measures the Trump administration has taken against the Palestinians have not lessened chances of achieving a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, but rather increased them. He also asserted that the Trump administration’s moves eliminate ‘false realities’ related to the Middle East peace process.”…

“In his comments, Abu Rudeinah also stated that ‘the Palestinian people will not acquiesce to pressure, sanctions or policies of blackmail,’ adding that “the American moves are proof of blind bias in favor of fake notions.’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has welcomed the US administration’s moves on Jerusalem in addition to its recent cuts in aid to the Palestinians and closure of the PLO office in the American capital. ‘The US took the correct decision,” Netanyahu said in a statement on Tuesday, alluding to the US decision to close the PLO office. “Israel supports these actions that are meant to make it clear to the Palestinians that refusing to negotiate and attacking Israel in international forums will not bring about peace.'” (more…)

Matt Speralnick and Steve Holland report in Reuters, “The Trump administration is prepared for Israeli criticism of elements of its coming Middle East peace plan, the U.S. envoy to the region said, even as Washington faces growing Palestinian accusations that it will be heavily tilted in favor of Israel. In an interview with Reuters, Jason Greenblatt, a chief architect of the long-awaited peace initiative, said U.S. negotiators had entered the “pre-launch phase” of the plan, despite a boycott by Palestinian leaders.”…’We’re going to have to defend the plan to Israelis and Palestinians. We are ready for criticism from all sides, but we believe this is the best path forward for everyone,’ he said as the administration moved to finalize the initiative, which is led by Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.” (more…)