Islamic Jihad: Palestinians need reconciliation to reject ‘deal of the century’

Senior Islamic Jihad Leader Nafeth Azzam yesterday said the Palestinian factions must achieve reconciliation in order to reject the “deal of the century”.

“It is the responsibility of all of us,” he said, “we have to work hard to end the regretful division [between us] and reach an agreement that makes us strong enough to face the deal of the century,” Shehab.ps reported yesterday.

He stressed there is “nothing new” regarding reconciliation on the ground, noting that the Egyptians have not stopped putting pressure on Israel to commit to the understandings.

“Egypt is still pushing forwards the terms of the deal pledged by [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu’s government,” he said, adding: “There are Qatari and UN efforts being exerted in this regard.”

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Regarding the “Peace to Prosperity” conference – which was held in Bahraini capital Manama this week to discuss the economic aspects of the deal – Azzam said: “The American plan is political and the economic side is not real,” stressing that none of the ideas discussed during the conference would be implemented.

He added: “The US exaggerates its pledges to seduce the Palestinians to sign deals, but when they do, none of the pledges materialise. This is what happened during and after [the Oslo Accords].”

Azzam concluded: “We do not trust the US Administration and its pledges made during the Bahrain workshop, through which Washington wants the Palestinians to accept a political deal and [Senior Adviser to the US President Jared] Kushner wants the Arabs to normalise with Israel as if it is a normal, natural entity in the region.”

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