US warns against scrapping Pence-Abbas talks

The US has warned the Palestinians against cancelling talks with Vice President Mike Pence after Washington recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Senior Palestinian official Jibril Rajoub earlier said Pence "would not be welcomed" during his upcoming visit to the region. He will also travel to Egypt and Israel in the second half of December, a visit that has taken on extra significance after Trump's announcement, the BBC reported.

A White House official responded by saying Pence "still intends to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas along with other leaders and thinks any decision to pull out of the meeting would be counterproductive".

Abbas did not personally comment on the issue.

The US President's move on Jerusalem reversed decades of US policy and triggered massive protests in Palestinian territories. More demonstrations were expected in the region on Friday with Israel deploying hundreds of extra troops in the West Bank.

The Hamas movement declared Friday a "day of rage".

--IANS

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