Ramallah: The Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) is currently reviewing whether to halt security coordination with Israel and downgrade the PLO's ties with Israel taking into account stalled peace negotiations and the undermining of the political atmosphere, said a top PLO official.
Speaking to Gulf News, Wasel Abu Yousuf, a member of the PLO Executive Committee, said that walking away from the security agreement with Israel remained an option that was being seriously discussed. "This is the current Palestinian move as the Israeli government stalled the peace process and completely locked the political horizon," he said.
"A change in the status quo is a must," said Abu Yousuf, stressing that walking away from unfair prior agreements with Israel remained a key Palestinian option.
"The Paris Economic Agreements will also be re-reviewed and amended should the Israeli government decide to freeze the Palestinian revenue funds again," he said.
The Israeli government under Benjamin Netanyahu has been blocking all attempts to revive serious and fair peace negotiations, strictly refusing to halt colonist activities and endorse the two-state formula based on the 1967 borderline, he said. "The entire political equation in Palestine is completely blocked, and the Palestinian leadership cannot stand still," he said.
‘No alternative'
Abu Yousuf said that the Palestinian leadership had been offered the status of a non-member state at the UN General Assembly. "We basically refuse this and demand a full-member state which is only possible via the UN Security Council," he said. "We find no alternative to the Palestinian UN full membership," he stressed.
"We are exerting extensive efforts with the international community to secure our rightful full UN membership," he said.
The Palestinians have not asked for a vote at the UN Security Council "as we did not secure the necessary nine votes", he said, stressing that seeking the status of a full member state was an irreversible move.
Abu Yousuf said that the Palestinian leadership had decided to base its strategy on three key factors, namely continuous efforts along with the international community to secure full recognition and UN full membership, pursuing internal reconciliation, and keeping up the popular resistance.
