Palestinians call Israel-UAE deal 'treason,' want retraction

A spokesman for the Palestinian president is condemning the deal to establish full diplomatic ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

Nabil Abu Rdeneh said on Thursday the agreement amounts to "treason." He says the Palestinians demand that it be retracted.

The remarks come after President Mahmoud Abbas convened a meeting of his top leadership in response to news of the deal, which would see Israel suspend its plans to annex parts of the West Bank. The announcement makes the UAE the first Gulf Arab state to do so and only the third Arab nation to have active diplomatic ties to Israel.