Lebanon is decidedly against the so-called deal of the century, put forward by the United States to settle the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict in the Middle East, and will not change its stance even under the threat of economic and financial pressure, Amal Abou Zeid, an adviser to the Lebanese president, said on Wednesday
BEIRUT (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th January, 2020) Lebanon is decidedly against the so-called deal of the century, put forward by the United States to settle the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict in the middle East, and will not change its stance even under the threat of economic and financial pressure, Amal Abou Zeid, an adviser to the Lebanese president, said on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Washington unveiled its long-awaited plan to reconcile Palestine and Israel. The plan includes the naturalization of Palestinian refugees in their current countries of residence, which Lebanon strongly rejects as it shelters 600,000 Palestinian refugees, as well as 1.5 million refugees from Syria, despite having a population of four million.
"We [Lebanon] are strained to the limit after Lebanon has been drowning in debts for 30 years, which led us to the most severe financial, economic, and social crisis. This is an international play that has led the country to the following ultimatum: either [our] agreement to the naturalization or no financial aid and debt cancellation," Abou Zeid wrote on Instagram.
He stressed that his country would continue to defend its sovereignty.
"Lebanon is against the 'deal of the century,' as it has been before, and once again states that it does not support any international play and plots at the expense of Lebanon and its interests, no matter the cost of such position," the adviser added.
The US plan has already received a considerable amount of criticism from the Arab world and beyond, with the League of Arab States claiming it violates the Palestinians' land rights, while Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas described it as a conspiracy.
