January 14, 2018
In a blistering two-hour speech, Abbas dishes out blame to the US and Israel for the stalemate in Arab-Israeli negotiations. He accuses Israel of “killing” and “terminating” the Oslo Accords (1993) and derides the Trump administration for their statements on the Status of Jerusalem and weak efforts in the Arab-Israel peace process. Stating he “will not accept the U.S. to be a mediator” in the peace process, Abbas is praised in Palestinian media for his bold remarks, yet Palestinians’ confidence in their leaders remains particularly low. Abbas’s PA and Hamas remain at deep odds about how their respective bureaucrats will be paid in the Gaza Strip as part of their promised reconciliation.