Ties with U.S. at lowest level as Washington fails to pressure Israel: Palestinian official

RAMALLAH, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- Palestine's ties with the United States are at the lowest level as Washington fails to pressure Israel to stop its actions against Palestine, a senior Palestinian official said Wednesday.

The United States does not want to stop any Israeli plan or project to "save the stalled peace process from the deadlock it has reached due to the continuing Israeli practices against the Palestinians," said Ahmad Majdalani, a member of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

"We do not expect that it (the current U.S. administration) will take any tangible, practical steps to save the peace process, which has fallen into a deep coma," said Majdalani.

Direct peace talks between Israel and Palestine had stopped in late March 2014 following disputes on Israeli settlements and the Palestinian state border.

Palestine has repeatedly urged the United States to pressure Israel to stop its aggression in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, including settlement building and assaults against Palestinian towns and cities in the West Bank. It has also urged the United States to reopen the U.S. consulate in East Jerusalem and the offices of the PLO in Washington.

Noting that the United States "is still a partner of the occupation government," Majdalani said, "we cannot rely on the American administration."

The official also criticized the United States for providing "political and diplomatic cover and protection for Israel in various international organizations" and abusing its veto power in the UN Security Council.