Palestinian President declares end to agreement with Israel, US
Israelis expected to carry out the annexation on July 1 as agreed between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz, the head of the Blue and White party.
By IAR Desk
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has declared an end to agreements with Israel, US and has turned over responsibility of occupied lands to Israel
The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported on Tuesday, May 19, 2020 that President Mahmoud Abbas hashdeclared an end to the agreements and understandings signed with Israel and the United States and turned over responsibility over the occupied territories back to Israel.
“The Palestine Liberation Organization and the State of Palestine are absolved, as of today, of all the agreements and understandings with the American and Israeli governments and of all the obligations based on these understandings and agreements, including the security ones,” the President declared at an emergency meeting for the Palestinian leadership held in Ramallah to discuss Israeli plans to annex parts of the occupied Palestinian land as declared in the new Israeli government’s coalition agreement.
“The Israeli occupation authority, as of today, has to shoulder all responsibilities and obligations in front of the international community as an occupying power over the territory of the occupied state of Palestine, with all its consequences and repercussions based on international law and international humanitarian law, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, which holds the occupying power responsible for the protection of the civilian population under occupation and their property, criminalizes collective punishment, bans theft of resources, appropriation and annexation of land, bans forced transfer of the population of the occupied territory and bans transfer of the population of the occupying state (the colonialists) to the land it occupies, which all are grave violations and war crimes,” he said.
Abbas’ announcement cane in the wake of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech in the Knessett where he presented his government and said now was the time for Israel to annex the Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz took office Sunday, March 17, putting aside their disagreements to share power in a unity government they say was necessitated by the coronavirus crisis.
This comes after three inconclusive elections and will prevent a fourth one from taking place.
Netanyahu begins his fifth consecutive term as prime minister and will go on trial for corruption charges. Under their coalition agreement, he and Gantz will switch places in 18 months.
In a speech at the swearing-in ceremony of the new Israeli government Sunday Netanyahu said that now is the time to annex the Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Israel is expected to carry out the annexation on July 1 as agreed between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz, the head of the Blue and White party.
Theplan comes as part of US President Donald Trump’s so-called “Deal of the Century” that was announced on January. 28. It refers to Jerusalem as “Israel’s undivided capital” and recognizes Israeli sovereignty over large parts of the West Bank.
The plan calls for the establishment of a Palestinian state in the form of an archipelago connected by bridges and tunnels.
Palestinianofficials say that under the US plan, Israel will annex 30%-40% of the West Bank, including all of East Jerusalem.
While US Secretary of State, who recently visited Israel, has welcomed the formation of the coalition government, the State Department has signalled that it does not want Israel to move forward on annexation at this moment. The State Department has said annexation should be part of direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians on the White House peace plan.
