Mahmoud Abbas Will Not Meet Mike Pence During His Upcoming Middle East Visit

On Saturday, December 9, Mahmoud Abbas's spokesperson announced that the Palestinian Authority president would not meet with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence later this month due to the U.S. government's decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem. According to AFP, as protests continue in Palestinian territories against the decision made by Donald Trump on Wednesday, two Hamas militants were killed during retaliatory airstrikes by Israeli planes in Gaza. Since the decision to transfer the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, which other members of the UN Security Council criticized in an emergency meeting on Friday, four people have been killed and dozens injured in violent clashes. Abbas's diplomatic advisor told AFP, "There will be no meeting with the U.S. Vice President in Palestine." He added, "The U.S. government has crossed all red lines with its decision regarding Jerusalem." The leader of Egypt's Coptic Christians also canceled his meeting with Pence, stating that the church would not meet with the U.S. Vice President in protest against the U.S. decision that "did not consider the feelings of millions of Arabs." Ahmed al-Tayyeb, the head of Al-Azhar University, the most important religious center for Sunni Muslims, also announced on Friday that he would not meet with Pence due to the "unjust and unfair U.S. decision regarding Jerusalem." AFP further reports that in violent clashes in the West Bank, Palestinian protesters threw stones at Israeli soldiers, who responded with tear gas, rubber bullets, and live ammunition. In Gaza, a group of people expressed their anger by participating in the funerals of two individuals killed by Israeli soldiers during violent clashes at the border, as well as two Hamas militants killed early Saturday. The Israeli army stated that at least 20 locations in the West Bank and Gaza experienced "violent riots," with demonstrators attacking Israeli forces by throwing stones and Molotov cocktails. The statement mentioned that Israeli forces used "common methods to disperse crowds," resulting in three Palestinians sustaining minor injuries. In eastern Jerusalem, police fired stun grenades at protesters on Salah al-Din Street to disperse the crowd. The Israeli police reported that two officers sustained minor injuries and six protesters were arrested. The Palestinian Red Crescent announced that at least 12 Palestinians were injured due to shrapnel or police beatings. Trump's decision to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem was welcomed by the Israeli Prime Minister but simultaneously sparked widespread protests and international criticism. Five European countries on the Security Council stated that this U.S. decision contradicts previous resolutions of the body, including those that consider Jerusalem an occupied city by Israel. An emergency Security Council meeting was held on Friday at the request of eight members, but it was largely symbolic, and no resolution was proposed as it was clear that the U.S. government would veto any resolution opposing its decision. This U.S. decision may also impact Palestinian domestic politics and the relationship between Fatah and Hamas, which have recently begun a fragile reconciliation process after ten years of hostility.