Palestinian PM:Trump Plan to be Buried 02/16 10:21

   The Palestinian prime minister lashed out Sunday at U.S. President Donald 
Trump's proposal to end the Mideast conflict, saying it would be "buried very 
soon."

   MUNICH (AP) -- The Palestinian prime minister lashed out Sunday at U.S. 
President Donald Trump's proposal to end the Mideast conflict, saying it would 
be "buried very soon."

   Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Mohammad Shtayyeh said the U.S. 
plan was "no more than a memo of understanding between (Israeli Prime Minister 
Benjamin) Netanyahu and Trump."

   Shtayyeh criticized the fact that the proposal would leave a future 
Palestinian state fragmented and with "no sovereignty," allowing Israel to 
annex large parts of the West Bank. He urged other countries to reject the 
Trump proposal while maintaining that Palestinians "are open to serious 
negotiations."

   Shtayyeh suggested the Palestinians would seek to increase pressure on 
Israel through international organizations, citing the recent release by the 
U.N. human rights office of a list of more than 100 companies allegedly 
complicit in violating Palestinian human rights by operating in Israeli 
settlements in the occupied West Bank.

   Referring to the upcoming Israeli election, Shtayyeh said the difference 
between Israeli opposition leader Benny Gantz  and Netanyahu was "not more than 
the difference between Coca-Cola and Pepsi Cola."


(KR)