Off the wire
• Across China: Xinjiang student wins medal for promoting ethnic solidarity  • Kremlin expects no breakthrough over disputed islands at Putin-Abe meeting  • 1st LD: At least 17 killed by suspected Ugandan rebels in eastern DR Congo  • Hackers attack Greek central bank, warn of more attacks worldwide  • Over 1 mln EU citizens died from heart attack or stroke in 2013: Eurostat  • Belgium "doing everything to make Brussels safe": Belgian PM  • China's "Super Girl" singing contest to be relaunched  • Brunei to host regional disaster response exercise  • Maersk reports sharp drop in Q1 profits  • Uncertainty over London airport expansion taking toll on economy, warn MPs  
You are here: 　 Home

PLO executive committee to discuss limiting ties with Israel

Xinhua, May 4, 2016 Adjust font size:

A member of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) executive committee said the committee will convene later Wednesday to discuss the measures to limit ties with Israel, including cutting security coordination.

Wassel Abu Yousef, member of the PLO executive committee, told Xinhua that the mechanisms to implementing the Palestinian decisions to redefine the relations with Israel will lead the agenda of the committee's meeting, chaired by Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas.

Abu Yousef said the meeting will look into means to respond to Israel's "violation" into area A in the West Bank that are under Palestinian control.

He added that the implementation of those decision, especially the security coordination, will be handled by the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) security bodies, including stopping bilateral meetings.

Abu Yousef said the Palestinians informed Israeli counterparts recently that it is unacceptable to subdivide the singed agreements, underscoring the opposition to military operation in area A.

According to the interim Oslo Accords signed between The PLO and Israel in 1993, the West Bank is divided into three zones: A, B, and C, with area A under Palestinian control, B under Israeli security control and Palestinian administrative control, and C under full Israeli control.

Israeli military sources said Tuesday night that the Israeli army has significantly decreased its arrest campaigns in the West Bank area A.

The Israeli public radio reported that this step came after "increased security coordination with Palestinian security bodies that are carrying out nearly 40 percent of arresting suspects of terrorist activities, compared to 10 percent a year and a half ago."

Abbas's Fatah Party said the party's Central Committee gave recommendations Monday evening to the PLO Executive Committee to start measures to limit ties with Israel, including cutting security coordination.

Palestinians have threatened to resort to several steps, including reassessment of signed agreements in areas of security and economy in reaction to the faltering peace process with they accuse Israel of hindering.

On May 5, 2015, the Palestinian Central Council, the highest PLO Legislative body, decided to end all forms of security coordination with Israel and end signed agreements with Israel.

The PLO official also said the executive committee will discuss Israel's declared opposition to the French initiative to hold an international peace conference to settle the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

The discussions will take into consideration the future of the peace process with Israel in light of its position towards the French initiative and the Palestinian diplomatic efforts with the international community, including addressing the United Nations Security Council.

The peace talks between Israel and Palestine have been stalled since April 2014. The U.S.-sponsored talks that lasted nine month achieved no tangible results. Endit