Palestinian Authority severs all contact with Jerusalem in protest of Israel’s Jenin counter-terrorism operation
Angered by the Biden administration’s unwillingness to condemn the Israeli operation, Ramallah also decides to limit contact with Washington
The Palestinian Authority (PA) in Ramallah announced on Monday that it will stop all contact with the Jewish state, including security coordination, in protest against the ongoing Israeli counter-terrorism operation in the West Bank city of Jenin.
While the city is formally under PA control, its limited influence in the area has created a political vacuum that is increasingly filled by Hamas, Islamic Jihad and local terror groups. Israeli forces have eliminated at least eight terrorists operating in the area of Jenin, which has become a major hub of radical anti-Israel violence and political instability.
Following an emergency meeting in Ramallah, led by PA chief Mahmoud Abbas, the PA announced a “comprehensive national vision" and a call to "unite the ranks to confront the Israeli aggression.”
Ramallah also “affirmed the right of our people to defend themselves and the Palestinian Authority’s mission to protect the Palestinian people.”
Angered by the Biden administration’s unwillingness to condemn the Israeli military operation, Ramallah also decided to limit its contact with Washington.
Abu Rudaineh, a senior PA official, said previous “understandings” with Israeli officials in Jordan and Egypt “no longer exist and are no longer valid.”
Terror groups in Jenin have stepped up their attacks against Israelis with Iranian assistance and the PA has either been unwilling or unable to exercise its control in the city, leaving Israel with no other option than to send Israeli forces into the area.
An unnamed Israeli official recently stressed that Washington shares Jerusalem’s goal to stabilize the situation on the ground.
“What the Americans care about is stability and de-escalation, and they know, like we do, that the terrorists want to destabilize and escalate.”
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
