By i24NEWS

Leaders from two important Arab nations have advised Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to accept the peace deal that will be offered by the US, two Abbas advisors told i24NEWS on Thursday.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi both told Abbas that he has no choice but to be pragmatic, according to sources. Abbas was told that Arabs also must accept the new realities and acquiesce to the demands of the US under President Donald Trump.

Saudi Arabia’s Prince Mohammed ben Salmane (L), the obstinate Palestinian autocrat Mahmoud Abbas (C) and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi (R) – Photos: Wikimedia

The Egyptian and Saudi leaders told Abbas not to be stubborn and continue on challenging Israel and the US. Abbas was told that it would be best to accept the peace deal now, otherwise he would regret not doing so in the future.

Abbas is now under immense pressure both on the foreign front, from Arab countries like Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and the domestic front, from his own constituency that is widely opposed to the measures proposed by Trump.

The position of Egypt and Saudi Arabia runs contrary to the stated position of Abbas and many of his officials. “There is no value to a Palestinian state without Jerusalem as its capital,” Saeb Erekat, the top Palestinian negotiator, told Palestinian radio in January.

Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in a speech delivered at the White House in early December, and told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday that he might attend the planned opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem in May.

Abbas was told that Arab leaders from moderate Arab states, such as the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, are all in accordance on the difficulty of standing up to both Trump and Netanyahu simultaneously, according to a Palestinian source.

Abbas was advised by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and President El-Sisi to take what’s offered, especially at the rate Israel is building settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. He was told in few years he may not have anything to negotiate about.

A Palestinian source who is privy on the situation said that Abbas has told a number of Arab leaders he met with recently that he is worried he will be accused of treason by Palestinians.

Arab diplomats from both Egypt and Saudi Arabia expect Washington to announce its plans on the Middle East in the coming weeks.

US President Trump & PA autocrat Abbas – Screenshot: White House/YouTube

The Arab leaders told Abbas that the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the embassy move was to extract more concessions from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. So far, President Abbas isn’t convinced and still believes he can challenge the US administration.