“The rights of the Palestinian people are not for sale,” said PLO Executive Committee Secretary Saeb Erekat, in the strongest Palestinian response to US attempts to push a peace deal in the region that focuses on economic prosperity based on massive investments in modern infrastructure. Erekat expressed the PA’s rejection of attempts to impose economic and humanitarian solutions at the expense of a political settlement. “The rights of our people are inalienable, including the right to self-determination and the achievement of Palestine’s independence and sovereignty based on the 1967 borders with Jerusalem as its capital,” he said Sunday. The PLO official accused the US administration of ignoring the rights of the Palestinians, including a Palestinian state, and focusing on creating a better economic situation for the Palestinian people by crushing their political rights. He stressed that the upcoming US plan would strengthen “Israeli colonial control over the land of Palestine and the lives of its citizens.” His comments came after a US tour of the region led by Jared Kushner, adviser to US President Donald Trump, and the US Middle East envoy, Jason Greenblatt, during which they met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu twice and leaders of Arab countries. During the current visit, the US officials sought to advance their peace plan and discussed humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, ignoring the Palestinian rejection of the plan. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas refused to meet members of the US delegation in Ramallah and told mediators that they were not welcome. The Palestinians received assurances from Arab leaders who met with the US delegation. “The United States has failed to promote the deal of the century,” said Wasel Abu Yousef, a member of the Executive Committee of the PLO. “Trump’s envoys have heard from Arab countries a clear position on the two-state solution and East Jerusalem as the capital of the state of Palestine in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy,” he added.