Arab League denounces Trump's Middle East plan

CAIRO

The Arab League on Wednesday censured the U.S. peace plan for Palestine, saying the so-called "Deal of the Century" violates Palestinian rights.

Flanked by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. President Donald Trump, in a news conference at the White House on Tuesday, unveiled the plan to end one of the longest running disputes in the Middle East. He proposed an independent Palestinian state but with the recognition of Israeli sovereignty over West Bank and keeping Jerusalem as its "undivided capital".

In a statement, the regional organization in the Arab world said that peace could not be achieved unilaterally but depended on the will of the Palestinians as well.

Convening an urgent meeting to discuss the plan on Saturday, it said that a serious effort to resolve the dispute could be considered; however, peace could not be achieved by ignoring the reality of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories since 1967.

The main criterion in judging any plan is the extent of its compatibility with international law and the principles of fairness and justice, it added.

The Pan-Arab body said that the Palestinian position was key to come up with a united Arab stance on the Middle East peace plan.

Palestine's Hamas has decried the terms of the agreement saying: "This deal isn't worth the paper it's written on and Jerusalem will remain for Palestinians." Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has also dismissed the plan, terming it a "conspiracy".

*Bassel Ibrahim contributed to this report from Ankara