The United States accused the Palestinian Authority Sunday of "walking away" from a chance to discuss peace in the Middle East by snubbing Vice President Mike Pence on an upcoming visit. 

"It's unfortunate that the Palestinian Authority is walking away again from an opportunity to discuss the future of the region," Jarrod Agen, Pence's deputy chief of staff, said in a statement.

The comments come after the Palestinian Authority said that its president Mahmud Abbas would refuse to meet Pence later this month in protest at the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.