On Saturday, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee rejected claims that President Trump intends to support the declaration of a Palestinian state.
“Hmm. @Jerusalem_Post needs better sources than this unidentified ‘source’,” Huckabee tweeted. “My 4 yr old grandson Teddy is more reliable. And take it from Teddy. This report is nonsense. @Israel doesn’t have a better friend than @POTUS !”
The report, initially published in The Media Line, cited an unnamed “Gulf diplomatic source” as saying, “President Donald Trump will issue a declaration regarding the State of Palestine and American recognition of it, and that there will be the establishment of a Palestinian state without the presence of Hamas.”
President Trump plans to attend a Gulf-US summit in mid-May, which may not include visiting Israel. After the summit, he will visit the UAE and Qatar.
The source added that economic agreements will “certainly be present.” As part of the announcement, the Gulf states may be exempted from tariffs.
“If an announcement of American recognition of the State of Palestine is made, it will be the most important declaration that will change the balance of power in the Middle East, and more countries will join the Abraham Accords.”
Ahmed Al-Ibrahim, a former Gulf diplomat, said, “I don’t expect it to be about Palestine. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and King Abdullah II of Jordan have not been invited. They are the two countries closest to Palestine, and it would be important for them to be present at any event like this.”
