By Khaled Abu Toameh, JPost—
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas announced on Thursday that the Palestinian leadership has decided to “halt” all agreements signed with Israel.
Abbas reached out to Hamas, offering to end the dispute between the movement and his ruling Fatah faction.
“We announce the leadership’s decision to stop dealing with agreements signed with the Israeli side,” Abbas said during an emergency meeting of PA leaders in Ramallah.
The meeting was called to discuss this week’s demolition of Palestinian buildings in the Wadi al-Hummus area near the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Sur Baher.
“As of tomorrow, we will lay mechanisms for implementing the decision taken by the Palestinian Central Council,” Abbas said, adding that a special committee will be formed to follow up on the decision.
Abbas did not say how the PA would “halt work” related to the agreements signed between the Palestinians and Israel.
A number of Palestinian key decision-making institutions have recommended that the PA revise all agreements with Israel and halt security coordination between the PA security forces and the IDF in the West Bank.
Following the Wadi al-Hummus demolitions, several senior Palestinian officials said that the PA was considering severing all relations with Israel.
Abbas said in a statement that Thursday’s decision was taken in light of Israel’s insistence on negating all agreements signed with the Palestinians.
Abbas strongly condemned the demolition of the buildings in Wadi al-Hummus and accused Israel of “blatantly violating international law.” The demolitions, he said, are also in violation of agreements signed between the two sides. Accusing Israel of carrying out “ethnic cleansing” and committing a “crime against humanity,” Abbas also lashed out at the US administration for backing Israeli policies and measures. Continue Reading….