RAMALLAH, October 8, 2018 (WAFA) – Disengagement from Israel will come in strides until there is a total separation in the relationship with the Occupying Power, member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Ahmad Majdalani said on Monday.
Majdalani told the official Voice of Palestine radio that the Executive Committee, in its meeting in Ramallah on Sunday, decided to convene the PLO’s Central Council, the second highest Palestinian decision making body, on the 26th of this month to discuss a number of important issues, including disengagement from Israel.
He said the Executive Committee was tasked with drawing out a plan to gradually redefine the relationship with Israel until there is full disengagement in light of Israel’s failure to implement its part of the signed 1993 Oslo accords.
On the relationship with the United States, the PLO official said all political and diplomatic relations between them have been cut off since the US decided to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December and move its embassy to the city and then close the PLO office in Washington, with the exception of the security cooperation agreement, which is currently under review and may also be terminated in the near future, and Palestine’s commitment not to join international organizations and institutions, which the PLO is no more bound to.
Majdalani pointed out that there is a radical change in American policy in a way that aims to change the existing international order for the purpose of liquidating the Palestinian national cause by establishing a mini-state in the Gaza Strip.
He said the way to stop this US scheme is to foil attempts to establish a state in Gaza.
On the issue of reconciliation with Hamas, Majdalani said the leadership has urged Egypt, which is mediating between Hamas and Fatah to end the 13-year-long division between them, to put a clear and specific time frame for reconciliation and not wait for a long time, expressing fear that Hamas may use the time to create the conditions to engage in the so-called deal of the century under the pretext of the humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip.
He added that a response from the Egyptians on reconciliation is expected by the end of this month and then decisions will be taken by the leadership in this regard.
M.K.
