Israeli government to take steps to prevent any collapse of Palestinian Authority

By Anadolu staff

ISTANBUL (AA) — Israel intends to take conditional measures to prevent any collapse of the Palestinian Authority (PA), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday.

The statement was made after a security cabinet meeting that decided to take "steps to stabilize the civil situation in the Palestinian arena."

It added that the proposal brought before the cabinet by Netanyahu, was adopted with the support of eight ministers, while one opposed it and another abstained from voting.

According to the proposal, the PA, in return for the Israeli steps to prevent its collapse, will "cease its activities against Israel in the international legal-political arena, from the incitement in its media and education systems."

The conditions also require the PA to stop providing payments to families of Palestinians killed by Israel and to stop building in Area C of the occupied West Bank.

The Ramallah-based PA is yet to comment on the matter.

Under the 1995 Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, was divided into three portions — Areas A, B, and C.

While Area A represents 18% of the West Bank and is controlled by the Palestinian Authority in terms of security and administration, Area B represents 21% of the territory and is subject to Palestinian civil administration and Israeli security control.

Area C, which represents 61% of the West Bank, is under Israel’s civil and security control.

Early on Sunday, Israeli media said new measures to help the PA include the establishment of a new industrial zone in the southern West Bank, the development of a marine gas reservoir off the Gaza Strip coast, and the deferral of Palestinian debt payment among others.

The PA has long been facing economic hardship as a result of Israeli decisions to deduct or halt the transfer of Palestinian tax revenues collected by Israel on behalf of the authority.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar