The Arab League described the US State Department’s deletion of the name of the occupied Palestinian territories or the Palestinian Authority from the list of Middle East countries on its website as a new hostile action that threatens to liquidate the Palestinian cause.

In a statement, Saeed Abu Ali, Arab League Assistant Secretary-General for Palestine and the Occupied Arab Territories, stressed that this [US] decision is ‘categorically’ rejected by Arab countries as well as by the overwhelming majority of countries around the world which expressed on more than one occasion their support for the Palestinian rights and adherence to the principles of law and international legitimacy.

Abu Ali added that this American action will be added to the series of previous isolated moves, which have been rejected internationally, including by the Arab world.

He stressed that this US decision will not affect the determination and steadfastness of the Palestinian people and leadership in their just struggle to achieve their independence and complete the building of their state with the support of the Arab nation.