UAE has no right to speak on behalf of Palestinians: Abbas

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday said that neither the United Arab Emirates (UAE) nor any other country has the right to speak on behalf of the Palestinian people, reported Xinhua, quoting WAFA news agency.

During a phone conversation with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, Abbas warned that if any other Arab country takes a similar step, Palestine will take the same position that they have taken towards the UAE.

Abbas stressed his refusal to "use the Palestinian issue as an excuse for normalization with Israel," noting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "explicitly confirmed the annexation plan is still on the table." The Palestinian president also reaffirmed rejection of the U.S. Middle East peace deal.

For his part, Macron expressed his deep understanding of the position of Palestinians.

However, Macron said that his country welcomed the tripartite agreement because it would push the peace process forward in the region, stressing the need to reach a political solution under the two-state solution and international law. Meanwhile, he invited Abbas to visit Paris to complete consultations on the overall situation related to the Palestinian issue.

Abbas accepted the invitation while stressing the importance of France's position that supports the Palestinian people, according to WAFA.