The Palestine Liberation Organization's chief negotiator said that diplomatic relations with the U.S. will end if Donald Trump's administration moves the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem.
"This region is going to go down the drains of bloodshed and extremism," negotiator Saeb Erekat said Monday during a conference call organized by the Wilson Center policy forum in Washington, D.C.
According to the Washington Examiner, Erekat slammed Trump's choice for ambassador, David Friedman, calling him "a very well-known extreme right-wing supporter of settlers, supporter of annexation of East Jerusalem."
Erekat said if the embassy moves, he would resign his job and cease any diplomatic moves on behalf of Palestinians, who are in dispute with Israel over its settlements on lands the Palestinians believe is theirs, notes The Times of Israel.
During the conference call, Erekat said if the embassy is moved, "any hope of peace in the future will vanish."
"If the embassy moves to East Jerusalem, I will not be the negotiator anymore. I will stop negotiating with Israel and can assure you that the PLO will revoke its recognition of the state of Israel and will revoke all agreements signed."
He predicted the Arab world would agree with his stance and follow suit. "I don't think the U.S. will have embassies in the Arab world. Mark my words on that," Erekat said.
Trump's transition team has been looking at the logistics of moving the embassy. On Friday, a Trump spokesman said the president-elect is committed to moving the embassy, but that details on the move "might be a little premature."
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