FILE PHOTO: A general view of Jerusalem shows the Dome of the Rock, located in Jerusalem's Old City on the compound known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount December 6, 2017. (REUTERS PHOTO)
RAMALLAH, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's office said Wednesday that Jerusalem is not for sale after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to cut off financial aid to Palestinians.
"Jerusalem is not for sale, neither for gold nor silver," Abbas spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh said, according to official Palestinian news agency (WAFA).
Palestine Liberation Organization Executive Committee Member Hanan Ashrawi said "Palestinians' rights are not for sale. By recognizing occupied Jerusalem as
Ashrawi added "we will not be blackmailed. President Trump has sabotaged our search for peace, freedom and justice. Now he dares to blame the Palestinians for the consequences of his own irresponsible action!"
On Twitter on Tuesday, Trump said "We pay the Palestinians HUNDRED OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect. They don't even want to negotiate a long overdue peace treaty with Israel...with the Palestinians no longer willing to talk peace, why should we make any of these massive future payments to them?"