Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh has claimed that Palestinian forces will prevent the Israeli army from raiding “Area A” of the occupied West Bank.
In an interview with Al-Quds, excerpts of which were published and reported on by the Jerusalem Post, Shtayyeh declared:
“We will prevent the Israeli occupation army from raiding Area A.”
Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh said Palestinians will prevent the IDF from entering Area A. https://t.co/hACydjSpMS
— The Jerusalem Post (@Jerusalem_Post) October 12, 2019
He added:
“We won’t do this through violence, but with our bodies. Israel invades the areas of the Palestinian Authority, and the signed agreements don’t allow these incursions. We will break this fait accompli.”
PA PM Shtayyeh moves to assert sovereign security control over Area A, as defined in Oslo Accords… https://t.co/jg56gXNFxW
(…perhaps as a first-step toward greater autonomy)— Pax Yerushalmi (@PaxYerushalmi) October 12, 2019
Under the Oslo Accords, the PA has civilian and security autonomy in Area A of the West Bank, although Israeli occupation forces enter the territory at will on a regular basis.
According to the Jerusalem Post, “Shtayyeh did not say that the PA security forces would engage [Israeli occupation forces]”, but rather “his statement is seen as a call to Palestinian civilians to take to the streets and confront…troops when they enter Area A.”
(Middle East Monitor, PC, Social Media)
