8 Aug 2019; MEMO: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas yesterday received a delegation of Democratic members of US Congress, headed by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.
The president affirmed that the two-state solution, in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy, is the only solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, stressing his rejection of the US’ dictates and decisions regarding Jerusalem, refugees, borders and security.
Israel does not respect bilateral agreements signed, Abbas stressed, forcing the Palestinian Authority to consider stepping away from the agreements.
In turn, members of the delegation expressed their full support for the two-state solution and peace.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) has suspended political communications with the US administration since December 2017 following US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and his closure of the Palestinian embassy in Washington.
Forty-one US Democrats landed in Israel on Monday as part of a tour organised by the American Israel Education Foundation (AIEF), the educational branch of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
The delegation will spend one week in Israel, during which it is slated to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as de facto leader of the opposition and Netanyahu’s main election rival, Benny Gantz, who heads the Blue and White (Kahol Lavan) party.
A group of four progressive Democratic congresswomen – Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Ayanna Pressley – refused to join their freshmen colleagues on the AIPAC-affiliated trip, with Omar and Tlaib instead announcing they would lead their own delegation to the occupied Palestinian territories. A date for their trip has not yet been announced.
