Palestinian Authority recalls its envoy to UAE: official

The Palestinian Authority on Thursday announced the “immediate” recall of its ambassador to the United Arab Emirates in protest over the country’s deal to normalise ties with Israel.

“At the request of President Mahmud Abbas, the Palestinian foreign ministry has decided to immediately recall its ambassador to the United Arab Emirates,” Palestinian foreign minister Riyad Al-Maliki said it a statement sent to AFP.

The Israel-UAE deal was also rejected by Hamas, the Islamist group that controls the Gaza strip and is a rival of Abbas’s Fatah party.

But Abbas and Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh spoke following the deal’s announcements, despite tensions between the two camps, a Hamas source told AFP.

“All Palestinian factions are united to reject normalisation (with Israel),” the source said.