A senior Palestinian official says the Palestinians will not meet with Vice President Mike Pence during his upcoming visit to the region because of the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

The official, Jibril Rajoub, said Thursday “In the name of Fatah I say that we will not welcome the Vice President of the United States into Palestinian Authority-owned land.” Rajoub also called for other Arab officials not to meet with Pence.

Pence is expected to visit the region later this month. He is set to travel to Israel and to the West Bank city of Bethlehem. Rajoub said Pence had requested to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) on December 19th in Bethlehem.

President Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and to advance plans to move the U.S. Embassy to the city has sparked outrage across the region. The White House clarified Trump’s statement and said that it has not changed the fact that the United States wishes to achieve a lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

White House Spokesperson Sarah Sanders said during a briefing to reporters today, that the United States does not know of any other country or countries that are planning to declare Jerusalem Israel’s capital. “I’m not saying that there aren’t any, we just don’t know that there are currently.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem /AP)