PhotoFor the Palestinians, it has undermined the impartiality of the United States as a negotiating partner, a role that has been central to the foreign policy of successive American administrations. Though Mr. Abbas called the decision “dangerous and unprecedented” on Tuesday, he notably did not call for the United States to be excluded from negotiations. He did not elaborate, though he mentioned a willingness to take up a Russian proposal to hold peace talks in Moscow. Mr. Danon, Israel’s ambassador, did not share that assessment, accusing Mr. Abbas, who left the chamber immediately after speaking, of running away from negotiations. In Israel, the police have recommended that bribery and fraud charges be filed against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with unpredictable consequences for the peace process.

Source: New York Times February 20, 2018 21:21 UTC