Roundup: Palestinians ready to work with Trump towards peace amidst skepticism

Palestinian officials expressed Friday looking forward to achieving peace with Israel on the basis of the two state solution under the new administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, while some Palestinian factions expressed skepticism towards Washington's position towards peace.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas congratulated Trump on his official inauguration as 45th President of the United States Friday, saying "I congratulate U.S. President Donald Trump and look forward to working with him for peace, security and stability in an unsettled world and a region going through a tragic period, and contribute towards creating a secure future for everyone."

Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Saeb Erekat said Friday that Palestinians are willing to work and cooperate with the new U.S. Administration under President Trump to achieve security and peace in the Middle East region and ending the conflict with Israel based on the two state solution.

Erekat told Xinhua "we look forward to working with positivity with Trump's administration after his official inauguration today, in order to realize the two state solution on the borders of 1967."

The PLO official called on Trump not to fulfill the promise he launched during his electoral campaign to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, "because this step means the destruction of the two state solution and the peace process."

Erekat underscored that security, peace and stability in the region will not come unless the Israeli occupation that started in 1967 comes to an end, with the establishment of the Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital to live side by side with the state of Israel in peace.

Republican Trump has become the 45th President of the United States, after being officially inaugurated Friday in Capitol Hill, Washington DC.

Trump and his aides expressed support to Israeli settlements and the moving of the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, especially during the electoral campaign.

In reaction, Palestinians launched a diplomatic campaign against such a move. The Palestinian president said Wednesday that moving the U.S. embassy will destroy the already stalled peace process with Israel.

Palestinian officials warned that if such a move is made, they will reconsider the recognition of the state of Israel.

Meanwhile, spokesperson of the Islamic Hamas movement controlling the Gaza Strip since 2007, Hazem Qassim said Palestinians "do not rely much on any change in the U.S. presidency in light of the historic American backing to Israel, especially with taking into account Trump's statements."

Qaasim described the American policy towards the Palestinian cause as "a steady policy based on bias towards Israel," urging Trump to re-evaluate his country's policy and seek "justice" for the Palestinian people.

In the same lines came the reaction of Islamic Jihad spokesperson Dawood Shehab, in which he rejected the continuation of American hegemony in the region, calling on Arab and Islamic states not to bet on any changes under Trump's administration.

Shehab warned against the moving of the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and the "consolidation of Israeli occupation on the rights of the Palestinians."

Member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), Jamil Mozhir told Xinhua that Trump has shown clear bias to Israel and complete denial of the rights of the Palestinian people.

"What is required is to stop illusions about an American role that would respect the individual or collective national rights of the Arab nation seeking liberation and independence from American hegemony in the region," said Mozhir.

The peace talks between Israel and Palestine have been stalled since April 2014. The U.S.-sponsored talks that lasted for nine months achieved no tangible results. Endit