PLO to determine ties with Israel: official

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) decided to start implementing decisions that aim at determining its ties with Israel, according to a senior Palestinian official.

Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the PLO executive committee, said at a news briefing in Ramallah that the PLO decided to immediately start implementing the decisions of its Palestinian Central Council (PCC).

"These decisions are related to determining the political, economical and security ties with Israel," said Erekat, following a PLO meeting held in Ramallah and chaired by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Erekat clarified that the PLO decision was made during Wednesday's meeting after the Israeli government neglected the signed agreements and insisted on undermining the choice of the two-state solution.

Meanwhile, he said that the PLO welcomed the French initiative for peace in the Middle East and the efforts to launch a new and serious process to settle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in accordance with the international resolutions.

The PLO executive committee urged the international community, according to Erekat, to intensify its efforts to hold an international peace conference under the sponsorship of the United Nations.

It also called for a protection of the Palestinian people who still live under the Israeli occupation and helping them end the occupation and establish their state. Endit