NOTHING REALLY NEW WITH PA ACCUSING ISRAEL OF COMMITTING A WAR CRIME AND A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY

PA to halt all agreements with Israel, including security coordination

Israel Hayom
July 26, 2019

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas declared Thursday that all signed agreements with Israel, including its ongoing security coordination in the West Bank, would be terminated over "all the violations against our people."

"We announce the leadership's decision to stop implementing the agreements signed with the Israeli side," he said in a speech in the West Bank city of Ramallah, saying Palestinians would immediately form a committee to study how to carry out the decision.

The two governments work together on matters ranging from water to security, and withdrawing from agreements could impact security in the West Bank.

Abbas has made similar threats before and not implemented them, but relations between the West Bank's Palestinian Authority and its Israeli counterpart have worsened in recent months.

The declaration comes a day after the US reportedly blocked a proposal in the United Nations Security Council seeking condemnation of housing demolitions carried out near east Jerusalem.

The demolition created controversy and heightened tensions between Israel and the PA.

The move led to condemnation from a number of international voices, including the European Union and France, who called on Israel to halt the demolitions.

The Palestinian government said last week that the demolitions were a breach of all agreements signed with Israel as most of the buildings are located in areas meant to be under the Palestinian Authority civilian control.

Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said the Palestinians planned to file a complaint with the International Criminal Court over the matter.

"The cabinet condemns this grave aggression. This is a continuation of the forced displacement of the people of Jerusalem from their homes and lands – a war crime and a crime against humanity," Shtayyeh told Reuters.

Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan accused the Palestinians of "lies," stressing the demolition was validated by the Supreme Court after a lengthy process.

"The structures were built illegally next to the security fence and constitute a risk to the lives of the civilians and security forces," Erdan tweeted last week, citing the June Supreme Court ruling.

EDITOR’S NOTE: From Reuters:

The United States on Wednesday blocked an attempt by Kuwait, Indonesia and South Africa to get the United Nations Security Council to condemn Israel’s demolition of Palestinian homes on the outskirts of Jerusalem, diplomats said.

Kuwait, Indonesia and South Africa circulated a five-paragraph draft statement, seen by Reuters, to the 15-member Security Council on Tuesday that expressed grave concern and warned that the demolition “undermines the viability of the two-state solution and the prospect for just and lasting peace.”

Such statements have to be agreed by consensus and on Wednesday the United States told its council counterparts it could not support the text, diplomats said. A revised three paragraph draft statement was circulated, but the United States again said it did not agree with the text, diplomats said.

The United States has long accused the United Nations of anti-Israel bias and shielded its ally from council action.