Abbas: Standing before point of review
Photo: AFP
Abbas says will reconsider security ties with Israel
Palestinian president says he may rethink cooperation with Israel following IDF raid that killed three Fatah men suspected of shooting attack. 'Recently (Israel's) provocations, incursions have increased,' he says
The Palestinians may review their West Bank security ties with Israel if it continues unilateral operations such as a Dec. 26 raid which killed three militants, President Mahmoud Abbas said on Friday.
Abbas says the measures are part of the Palestinian drive for sovereign independence from Israel, but slow peacemaking progress and Israeli military actions have sapped his support.
Attack in West Bank
Despite Palestinians criticism against Israel following assassination of gunmen who killed man in West Bank last week, security organizations continue efforts to locate those involved in incident
"Recently their provocations and incursions have increased," Abbas told Palestine Television, referring to the raid on Nablus, in which three militants from his Fatah faction died, as well as Israel's killing of three Palestinians in Gaza that day.
"We find ourselves before the point of review, of considering many of the things that we do," he said. "If the (security) coordination does not lead to a halt in the incursions and the provocations, we will think anew."
The Nablus bloodshed was especially touchy for Abbas given the Fatah connection. Israel, which accused the three militants of killing a Jewish settler on Dec. 24, said they were shot after being cornered and ignoring calls to surrender.
An Israeli defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the raid was not delegated to Abbas' forces in part out of fear they would be slow to confront Fatah militants.
In his television interview, Abbas did not elaborate on how he might scale back security ties to Israel. His administration this week spoke of a possible diplomatic breakthrough after Israel held strategic consultations with powerbroker Egypt.
"Coordination (with Israel) is required, and it is very important, because of the overlap that we have," Abbas said. "We are fulfilling our duties, but we are not doing it for Israel. Israel may benefit from it."
Meanwhile, the Ma'an News Agency reported Friday that the Palestinian Authority has received no official request for a meeting between Abbas and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Abbas' spokesman Nabil Abu Rdainah was quoted by Ma'an as saying, “We didn’t receive anything about such a thing. So far what we heard was from the media."
"All that we know is that the president will be going to on Wednesday to meet (Egyptian President Hosni) Mubarak,” he added.
