Abbas slams US, others in defiant speech

By Andrew Carey and Abeer Salman, CNN - Updated 0941 GMT (1741 HKT) January 15, 2018

Jerusalem (CNN)Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas appears to have confirmed reports that the Trump administration has earmarked Abu Dis, a town adjacent to Jerusalem, as the capital of a future Palestinian state, during a speech to the PLO Central Council.

"Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the state of Palestine," Abbas told delegates at a meeting on Sunday called to discuss the United States' recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. "We are at a critical moment and our future is in danger ... we are currently being offered Abu Dis as our capital."

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Previous US administrations have hewed to the international consensus that East Jerusalem, which includes the Old City and its key religious sites, would be the capital of any Palestinian state.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Abbas' remarks.
The two-day meeting in Ramallah included all Palestinian factions except Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which are not members of the Palestine Liberation Organization. Attendees are expected to discuss ramifications of the US' recognition and strategies, according to official news agency Wafa.
Abbas' address had been seen as an opportunity to chart a Palestinian course forward in the light of Trump's announcement last month on Jerusalem.
"I call on the Central Council to revise all the agreements signed between the PLO and Israel because Israel has brought these agreements to a dead end," said Abbas.

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"Israel has ended the Oslo agreement" so the PLO Central Council must decide "where should we go from here?"
Even so, Abbas reaffirmed his commitment to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"We are committed to resolving the two states on the basis of international legitimacy, the Arab peace initiative, and the state of Palestine on the 1967 borders," he said.
He also said he advocated only "peaceful popular resistance."
Addressing the future role of the United States in the peace process, Abbas said: "We will not accept the US as a mediator after what they did."
He singled out two individuals for particular criticism: "The American ambassador to Israel [David Friedman] and [the US Ambassador to the UN] Nikki Haley bring shame on the administration, if it has any self-respect."
In an apparent swipe at Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, seen as receptive to the Trump administration's plans for the Middle East, Abbas said: "We do not interfere with the affairs of Arab countries and we do not accept anyone interfering in our own affairs." Singling out one country that he accused of playing an underhand role, but chose not to name, he said: "Stay away from us."
Former Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni was among the first Israelis to react, branding Abbas' address an "extremist speech."
"We are not giving up on a country with a Jewish majority and a border between us and them," she said on Twitter. "To there we have to advance, with or without the Palestinians."

CNN's Oren Liebermann and Ian Lee contributed to this report.

 Comment by Dennis Edwards: The Palestinian/Jerusalem question will just not go away. Will the world be forced to make some kind of international agreement on the status of Jerusalem and the future of the Palestinians? Will this agreement involve the building of the Third Temple and the renewal of Jewish sacrificial worship for the first time since the destruction of the 2nd Temple by the Roman legions in 70 AD? The Bible seems to indicate, if we are understanding it properly, that there will be such an agreement. The prophet Daniel calls it a "Holy Covenant." The covenant will be framed by the Antichrist and many nations will confirm it. It will be a seven year pact. However, because of scheming behind the scenes and impending military action against him, the Antichrist breaks the agreement, invades Israel, stops the sacrificial worship and places something called in Scripture, "the abomination of desolation" in the Temple.

The placing of the abomination of desolation in the Temple was the key sign Jesus gave to his disciples when they asked him what would be the sign of the end and of His coming. Jesus warned that when the abomination of desolation was placed in the Temple the Great Tribulation would begin. He said the tribulation would be the worst the world would ever face and that if He didn't return no life on earth would be saved. Finally, He announced, not that He would come secretly and snatch away His followers in a secret Rapture, but that He would return immediately after the tribulation. At that point His followers would be rescued and those left on earth would pass through and even worst period of troubles culminating in the Battle of Armageddon which ends with Christ's physical return to stop the Antichrist and his followers from destroying the whole world and enforce a peaceful reign on earth for 1,000 years.

That's a brief resume of what the Bible says. Of course, there's a lot more. But that is the general outline. We are living in exciting times as many of today's current events seem to be lining up with the possibility of fulfilling these Bible prophecies. Have you studied your Bible to know what to expect? Have the false American prophets put you to sleep with their unscriptural Secret Rapture? Have the rich television preachers made you sick of religion and all that it stands for? Well, comfort yourself with the thought that Jesus Himself was killed by "righteous" religious people.

For more information read my online book:  Where is America in Bible Prophecy?