Palestinian leadership ‘rebuffs' pressure to resume security coordination  

The Palestinian leadership has rejected pressure to reverse its decision to end the security coordination and pursue its diplomatic offensive against Israel in the international arena, Palestinian officials said on Saturday. 

The officials were speaking after the Palestinian leadership held another meeting in Ramallah on Friday to discuss the latest tensions and violence in the West Bank and Jerusalem.

The officials stressed that the decisions taken by the Palestinian leadership late last month remain in place, notwithstanding the pressure from the US administration and other parties.

PLO Executive Committee member Wasel Abu Yusef told the PA’s Voice of Palestine radio station that the Palestinian leadership’s decision, which was confirmed during Friday’s meeting, is “to continue defining the relationship with the occupying state, to stop the security coordination, not to give in to Israeli threats, and to continue with measures to provide protection for our people.”

Bassam al-Salhi, member of the PLO Executive Committee and Secretary-General of the Palestinian People’s Party (formerly the Palestinian Communist Party), also emphasized that the decision to halt security coordination with Israel remains effective.

During the meeting, held under the chairmanship of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, “the leadership stressed that the decisions it took, including those related to the cessation of security coordination, are still in place given that the reason for them still exists,” Salhi told the Voice of Palestine radio station.

He accused the Israeli government of “continuing its crimes of settlements and the Judaization of Jerusalem.”

On January 26, the Palestinian leadership announced its decision to immediately end the security coordination with Israel in response to the killing of nine Palestinians, mostly gunmen, during an Israeli military operation in Jenin Refugee Camp.

“In light of the repeated aggression against our people, and the undermining of signed agreements, including security, we consider that security coordination with the Israeli occupation government no longer exists as of now,” PA presidential spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudaineh said in a statement.

 He added that the Palestinians also decided to immediately approach the United Nations Security Council to request international protection and go to the International Criminal Court “to add the file of the massacre committed by the Israeli occupation forces in Jenin to the other files submitted earlier.”

Discussing security coordination

The issue of the security coordination was discussed during recent meetings between Abbas and US officials who visited Ramallah, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director William Burns.

The issue was also raised during a meeting between Abbas and the heads of the Egyptian and Jordanian intelligence agencies, who visited Ramallah last week as part of efforts to ease tensions between Israel and the Palestinians.

Salhi said that Abbas briefed the Palestinian leadership during Friday’s meeting on the outcome of his talks with the US and Arab officials, but did not provide any details.

He too confirmed that the Palestinian leadership was facing pressure to reverse is decision to halt the security coordination.

“The ball is now in the American and Israeli court,” Salhi added. “Israel must stop its daily practices.”

Saleh Ra’fat, another senior PLO official, said the Palestinian leadership will hold more meetings to follow up on its decision to end the security coordination and approach international forums. 

Ra’fat said the Palestinian leaders reviewed all the talks with the US and Arab officials “and the clear Palestinian stance on the need to stop all of Israel’s crimes and unilateral actions.”

The Palestinian leadership will pursue its moves in the international arena to request protection for the Palestinians, he stressed.