PLO Votes to Suspend Recognition of Israel Until It Recognizes Palestinian State

Decision by top Palestinian committee calls to end the Palestinian Authority's security coordination with Israel and suspend all economic agreements. Mandate on if and when to execute lies with Abbas

Jack Khoury

Oct 29, 2018

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$Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas during the meeting of the Central Council of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) in Ramallah, October 28, 2018, Credit: \ MOHAMAD TOROKMAN/ REUTERS$

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas during the meeting of the Central Council of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) in Ramallah, October 28, 2018Credit: \ MOHAMAD TOROKMAN/ REUTERS

Jack Khoury

Oct 29, 2018

The PLO Central Committee voted on Monday to suspend the recognition of Israel until the latter decides to recognize a Palestinian state. The move requires Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' consent.

The decision by the top Palestinian committee calls to end the Palestinian Authority's security coordination with Israel and to suspend all economic agreements with it.

The central committee authorized Abbas and the PLO Executive Committee to decide if and when they wish to execute the decision.

A number of Palestinian factions called to boycott the committee's gathering, criticizing Abbas for not carrying out its decisions and accusing him of stalling.

The PLO Central Committee and the Palestinian National Council have in recent months reached a number of decisions calling for the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority, but Abbas and the PLO Executive Committee refrained from implementing them.