RAMALLAH, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Saeb Erekat said Tuesday that the United States is trying to depoliticize the Palestinian cause and turn it into a humanitarian issue.
His statements came through the official Palestinian radio station Voice of Palestine against the backdrop of Washington's fundraising for humanitarian projects in Gaza.
Erekat said "Washington has entered a very dangerous game by replacing the national Palestinian rights with humanitarian projects."
He accused Washington of working to get rid of the Palestinian leadership due to its adherence to the Palestinian national rights and demanding Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian state.
Earlier, Israeli daily Haaretz reported that the U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt will visit the region for talks about the U.S. Middle East peace plan without meeting with Palestinian officials.
The envoys are set to meet with leaders of Gulf countries to raise around half a billion U.S. dollars for vital projects in Gaza Strip, in several proposed projects, particularly in the field of energy.
The newspaper said that Kushner and Greenblatt will also hold talks with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Israel. The aim, said the report, is to create a positive clout ahead of announcing the U.S. peace plan.
Palestinians have rejected U.S. ideas since President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on Dec. 6, 2017.
The U.S. facilitated negotiations between Israel and Palestinians collapsed in 2014.
