Abbas meets with liberal Zionist lobby group J Street

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas yesterday met with the leadership of liberal Zionist advocacy group J Street at his headquarters in Ramallah, reported the Times of Israel.

Abbas welcomed the delegation, led by J Street Executive Director Jeremy Ben Ami, expressing his “appreciation for their efforts to support the peace process within American society”, including the organisation’s letter to the White House urging a reversal of the decision to end funding for UNRWA.

“We distinguish between America and the current American administration that has brought the peace process to a dead end,” Abbas told the group.

The meeting was attended by PLO Executive Committee members Ziad Abu Amr and Ahmad Majdalani, PA General Intelligence Services chief Majid Faraj, Fatah Central Committee member Hussein Al-Sheikh and Fatah spokesman Osama Qawasma, according to reports.

J Street’s Ben Ami affirmed that his organisation is committed to “supporting peace and continuing to work in American Jewish circles and with American society to achieve peace”.

The members of the J Street delegation also “affirmed their readiness to continue efforts to resume the peace process on the basis of a two-state solution”.

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