RAMALLAH, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- A senior Palestinian official on Tuesday slammed Israel and the U.S. for blackmailing the Palestinian leadership by imposing financial sanctions.
Nabil Shaath, adviser to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for international relations, said in a press statement that the Palestinian Authority (PA) has been suffering from a financial crisis because Israel and the U.S. have pressured donor countries, including Arab nations, to stop their funds.
Shaath said that Israel and the U.S. are inciting the donor countries to stop their financial aid to the PA under the pretext that it pays them as salaries for Palestinian prisoners and their families, as well as the Palestinians killed in actions against Israel.
"It is unacceptable blackmail," Shaath said.
"Unfortunately, some Arab countries accepted to be subjected to the U.S. pressure," he said, expressing his hope that some other international countries would resist the arbitrary U.S. decisions and continue to support the Palestinian issue.
The PA has boycotted the U.S. since U.S. President Donald Trump announced official recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital on Dec. 6, 2017, and relocated the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to the disputed holy city on May 14, 2018.