Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has offered Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas $10 billion to accept U.S. President Donald Trump’s upcoming Mideast peace plan for Israelis and Palestinians, reported the Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar on Tuesday.
“According to information obtained by Al-Akhbar, Salman briefed Abbas about the details of the deal of the century and asked him to accept it. According to the information, Salman asked Abbas: What is the annual budget of your entourage? Abbas replied: I’m not a prince to have my own entourage.”
Salman then asked Abbas: “How much money does the Palestinian Authority and its ministers and employees need?”
Abbas replied with an answer of $1 billion annually, to which the Saudi crown prince replied: “I will give you $10 billion over 10 years if you accept the deal of the century.”
According to the outlet, among economic and other incentives, the Saudi offer also includes the founding of a Palestinian embassy in the West Bank town of Abu Dis, located on Jerusalem’s eastern outskirts.
Abbas rejected the offer, saying it would “mean the end of my political life.”
White House senior adviser Jared Kushner said last week that the so-called “deal of the century” will be released after the Islamic holiday of Ramadan, which starts on May 5 and concludes on June 4.
