RAMALLAH, Jan. 19 -- Palestine on Sunday accused the United States of trying to turn the future Palestinian state into cantons under the Israeli control.
"The U.S. administration wants to transform the Palestinians into small cantons in an entity that is under Israeli control," said Hanan Ashrawi, member of the Executive Committee of Palestine Liberation Organization.
"The U.S. is an accomplice with the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory, by taking unilateral steps including dropping the issue of Palestinian refugees, borders, Jerusalem and legalizing settlement activity in breach of international law," she added.
She said the U.S. peace deal, known as the "Deal of the Century," would not lead to peace, security or stability, because the U.S. administration "is basing it on Israel's interests."
Ashrawi said that the U.S. repeated announcements of a peace plan are an attempt to "prevent any other party from presenting a political initiative to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict."
On Monday, U.S. National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien said that the long-anticipated Middle East peace plan is likely to be presented ahead of Israeli elections in March.