Palestinian leaders vote to suspend recognition of Israel
AMMAN: The majority of the members of the Palestinian Central Council (PCC) have voted to end Palestine’s recognition of Israel in response to the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
They also voted to freeze security cooperation with Israel.
“At the council, I felt there was a clear vision for the future and a holistic approach toward a new strategy, but it is hard to determine how far these issues will be translated during the implementation phase,” said Asaad Abdel Rahman, a PCC member and also an independent member of the Palestinian Liberation Organization’s (PLO) executive committee.
“As is often the case, the key will be in the implementation.”
President Mahmoud Abbas’ fiery two-hour speech at the PCC meeting included demands for escalated action against Israel, but he did not specifically call for an end to security cooperation. However, after a heated closed session, the PCC did so — and also resolved to suspend recognition of the state of Israel.
Ziad Khalil Abu Zayyad, Fatah spokesman for international affairs, reflected the views of many of the younger generation by calling on the leadership to make serious changes. He told Al-Monitor in Washington that the PCC should call for withdrawing recognition of Israel as a tangible way to show indignation at the US-Israel collusion.
Nasser Laham, a television commentator and editor of the independent online Ma’an News Agency, also wanted escalation. “Palestinians should end security coordination with the Israelis and Arab states should withdraw their ambassadors from Washington,” he wrote.
Nabil Amer, a Fatah leader and representative of the older PLO generation, said such an action would be a mistake. “I don’t add my voice to the calls for escalation,” he said. “Any such escalation would be costly. We have boycotted meetings with the US, that was a good decision and that was enough.”