Palestinian factions announced their decision to stage a general strike on Tuesday to protest the scheduled visit of the U.S. Vice President Mike Pence to the Middle East a few weeks after President Donald Trump declared Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Fatah Movement called for a general strike throughout the West Bank on Tuesday and for simmering protests across all flashpoints with the Israeli occupation against the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Fatah called for implementing the recommendations and resolutions of its Central Council including intensifying popular resistance.
The group said Pence’s visit to the region is totally unwelcome calling on the Arab countries not to receive Pence in response to the U.S. biased declaration on Jerusalem and its decision to cut financial aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
The U.S. official is scheduled to visit Egypt Jordan and the occupied Palestinian territories over four days but will not be received by the Palestinians.
The U.S. President Donald Trump announced last month his decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the transfer of the embassy of his country to it prompting widespread anger and criticism.
Tensions flared again ahead of Pence’s trip when the United States announced Tuesday to withdraw 65 million U.S. dollars from UNRWA’s aid budget cutting medical and educational assistance to Palestinian refugees.
