JERUSALEM — Relations between Israeli and
Palestinian leaders continued a downward spiral with a new Israeli
directive to its ministers to halt cooperation with their Palestinian
counterparts.
Netanyahu’s directive was an Israeli response to the “Palestinian abrogation of their commitments and violation of understandings,” said an Israeli official speaking on condition of anonymity. The official declined to say whether the government was planning to impose further sanctions on thePalestinian Authority.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered
government ministries to stop high-level communications with
corresponding Palestinians, halting assorted economic and civilian cooperation
efforts.
Netanyahu’s directive was an Israeli response to the “Palestinian abrogation of their commitments and violation of understandings,” said an Israeli official speaking on condition of anonymity. The official declined to say whether the government was planning to impose further sanctions on thePalestinian Authority.
The recent disruption
of the peace talks erupted after Israel delayed the planned release of
a group of Palestinian prisoners in an attempt to secure a Palestinian
commitment to continue the talks past April.
In response, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas submitted to the United Nations requests to join 15
international conventions, after which Israel canceled the prisoner release
altogether, sending the talks into deep crisis.
Despite the disruptions in negotiations, Israeli and
Palestinian officials have continued to work cooperatively to some degree
on issues related to the environment, agriculture, tourism and infrastructure.
Contacts at ministerial and top officials levels are now suspended, permitting
only lower field-level cooperation, Israeli media reported.
Security coordination is exempt from the directive
and will continue as usual. Also exempt is Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, head of Israel’s negotiation team that has
met several times in recent days with the Palestinian and U.S. delegates seek
an end to the crisis.
The directive came several hours after U.S.
Secretary of State John F. Kerry addressed the crisis in the talks
during a hearing of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee.
While noting both sides had taken “unhelpful”
positions, Kerry suggested the delayed prisoner release followed by the
announcement of a controversial housing plan tipped the talks over the edge.
“And then … 700 settlement units were announced in Jerusalem and, poof, that
was sort of the moment,” Kerry summarized.
So far, Netanyahu’s office has not responded
publicly to Kerry’s comments, regarded as blaming Israel for the breakdown of
the talks, but hawkish members of Netanyahu’s government rejected the notion.
“Israel will never apologize for building in Jerusalem,” said Economy Minister
Naftali Bennet.
Opposition leader Isaac Herzog called Wednesday’s
directive an “unnecessary move” that would undermine Israeli interests and the
business sector. Commenting to Israeli media, Herzog said “frustration and
helplessness are no policy.”
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