The Palestinian Authority is cutting all ties with the US and Israel, President Mahmoud Abbas announced during a furious speech at the Arab League emergency session on the so-called “deal of the century” proposed by Donald Trump. The Arab League convened on Saturday in Egypt’s capital Cairo to discuss the plan unveiled this week by the US president, which would see Israeli annexation of much... 

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has threatened to end the nation’s relationship with the US after the Trump administration declared Israel’s Jewish-only settlements in the West Bank – illegal under international law – legal. “We are ready to go to a complete breakdown of relations with [the US],” Abbas told Russian journalists on Tuesday. He explained that “almost every country... 

The much-discussed $221 million transfer to Palestine authorized by Barack Obama just hours before Trump was sworn into the presidency has already reached West Bank and Gaza, an advisor to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has claimed. “We have already received the last sum assigned by Obama’s administration. They have transferred this money,” Husam Zomlot, strategic affairs advisor... 

By now we’re used to hearing from Democrats and Liberals that the Christian religion is one built on intolerance and bigotry. That’s the argument they use every time Christians oppose a law or policy that goes against God’s laws. The truth is Christians might be strong in their opposition against things “Un-Christian,” but they’re not violent or criminal in their actions. There is however... 

The Vatican has become the latest country to recognize the state of Palestine, after a new treaty was finalized on Wednesday. Unsurprisingly Israel has hit out at the move, saying that it damages prospects for peace in the region. The treaty, which was agreed, though has yet to be formally signed states the Vatican has switched its diplomatic allegiance from the Palestinian Liberation Organization... 

The Israeli intelligence minister describes as an “act of war” a Palestinian draft submitted to the UN Security Council to end Israeli occupation by the end of 2017. “The Palestinians made sure to remove any mention of Israel’s status as a Jewish state from the draft, which means this is not an act of peace, it’s an act of war,” Israel Radio quoted Yuval Steinitz as saying on Thursday. The... 

Sweden has recognized the occupied state of Palestine officially, according to its foreign ministry. The Scandinavian has become the first West-European EU state to recognize the territories. Israel is not pleased. The news follows an earlier hint by Prime Minister Stefan Lovfen in his Social Democrat manifesto, during his inaugural address in October, that this would happen. The idea was quickly... 

A long-term truce in Gaza has been agreed with Israel, Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas said. The ceasefire announced by Egypt came into effect at 16:00 GMT with almost immediate reports of warning sirens going off in southern Israel. “We have responded to the Egyptian proposal for a complete and comprehensive cease-fire, which starts at 19:00 Cairo time,” Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas,... 

Pope Francis has arrived in the occupied West Bank at the start of a two-day tour to the occupied Palestinian territories amid protests by Israelis opposed to his visit. Upon arrival in the city of Bethlehem on Sunday, the 77-year-old spiritual leader held a meeting with acting Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas. During the meeting, Abbas blasted the Israeli regime for putting pressure on Christians... 

The NSA’s data base contains information obtained during the surveillance of over a hundred world leaders, new leaks by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden revealed. Der Spiegel has looked through a top secret presentation by NSA’s Center for Content Extraction, which is responsible for automated analysis of all types of text data. According to the document, the leaders of 122 states were among... 

US President Barack Obama (L) speaks alongside acting Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas (R) at the Muqata, the Palestinian Authority headquarters, in the West Bank city of Ramallah on March 21, 2013. US President Barack Obama has said that Israel’s occupation of the West Bank must end, adding that Palestinians deserve an independent and sovereign state. Obama also said he is “deeply... 

An Israeli soldier chases a Palestinian protester in the northern West Bank town of Huwara on February 19, 2013. Israeli troops have clashed with Palestinians who were holding demonstrations in the occupied West Bank in solidarity with four hunger strikers in Israeli jails. On Tuesday, Israeli forces fired tear gas and sound bombs in the northern town of Huwara to disperse hundreds of Palestinian people... 

Palestinians celebrate in Ramallah on November 29, 2012 after the upgrade of Palestine’s status at the United Nations by the UN General Assembly. The United Nations General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly to upgrade Palestine’s status at the UN from “observer entity” to “observer non-member state” despite strong opposition by Israel and the US. On Thursday, the 193-member assembly voted... 

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas The Palestinian Authority has claimed its people are victims of “collective punishment” after accusing the United States of blocking $200 million in aid in response to President Mahmoud Abbas’s application for UN statehood. The freeze on funds, which has been unpublicised, was reportedly put in place in August, ahead of Mr Abbas’s planned... 

Mahmoud Abbas In the whirr of diplomacy taking place at the United Nations, the case for and against statehood recognition for the Palestinians has become almost an afterthought. Rather, two countries, the United States and Israel, are going to great lengths to avert the embarrassing consequences of an expected application. Great pressure is being placed on the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas,...