Palestine not to withdraw from peace process: Maliki

CAIRO – 10 December 2017: Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said in a press conference that the country has no intention of withdrawing from the peace process. The press conference was held in the Palestinian embassy in Cairo on Saturday.

Maliki said that the U.S. became a party to the conflict following President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on Wednesday.

In a snub over Trump’s decision, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will not meet U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, Maliki added.

Trump’s decision was met by a barrage of criticism and condemnations from many Arab and world leaders.

On Friday, Al-Azhar Grand Imam Ahmed al-Tayeb announced his rejection to meet with Pence, who is scheduled for a meeting in Egypt on December 20.

Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Church announced in a statement on Saturday that Pope Tawadros of Alexandria and Patriarch of the Sea of St. Mark also rejected meeting with Pence.