Netanyahu : Israeli Army to Continue Incursions in Area A

The IDF maintains -- and will maintain -- the possibility of entering Area A, and anywhere necessary, according to operational needs. — The IDF maintains — and will maintain — the possibility of entering Area A, and anywhere necessary, according to operational needs.

Bethlehem, 14 Rajab 1437/21 April 2016 (MINA) – In spite of recent talks with Palestinian officials, Israeli armed forces will continue to intervene in parts of the occupied West Bank under full Palestinian Authority (PA) control, high-ranking Israeli officials said on Wednesday.

During a meeting of the Israeli security cabinet, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, and Israeli army Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot “made it clear that the IDF (Israeli army) maintains — and will maintain — the possibility of entering Area A, and anywhere necessary, according to operational needs,” a statement read.

“There is no other agreement with the Palestinians,” the statement added.

Area A refers to the 18 percent of the occupied West Bank which are officially under full Palestinian civil and security jurisdiction. However, Israeli forces have regularly carried out incursions in these areas since the Second Intifada, in a breach of the Oslo Accords which has been denounced as Palestinian sovereignty, Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) reported, quoting Ma’an.

Talks were reportedly taking place earlier this month between Palestinian and Israeli officials over putting an end to near-daily Israeli raids in Area A.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stirred controversy in an interview in late March when he credited the ongoing security coordination between the PA and Israel for curbing a wave of Palestinian attacks on Israeli targets.

The Fatah-dominated PA and Israeli forces have worked in coordination since the Oslo Accords in 1993, which planned for a gradual power transfer of the occupied West Bank from Israeli forces to the PA over the course of five years.

More 20 years on, however, any transfer of power has yet to take place. The Hamas movement and other Palestinian groups have repeatedly accused the PA of aligning with Israel’s goals in the occupied West Bank, and recently of preventing a sustained uprising against Israel. (T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)