Abbas has accused Israel of wanting to usurp Muslim claims to the Temple Mount, also known as Haram al-Sharif, and has said Israelis wrongfully killed Palestinian assailants, including a boy who turned out to be alive and cared for in an Israeli hospital. He has also condemned last week’s arson attack on a Jewish holy site in Nablus.
Steinitz said he was speaking out because it was his “responsibility” to do so as a member both of the Israeli cabinet and the smaller security cabinet, but made clear his views were his own and not those of the government.
Other Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have also said Abbas has peddled incitement against Israel, but have at the same time maintained security cooperation with Abbas’ security forces.
Yitzhak Herzog, the leader of the opposition Zionist Union party, said at the same conference that government attacks on Abbas, whom he described as a flawed but viable peace partner, were bluster, and that little scared Netanyahu’s government more than the prospect of Abbas’ removal.
“Let’s not be hypocritical,” Herzog told the plenum, saying Abbas’ absence would lead to more chaos.
Steinitz will also meet with his US counterpart, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, while he is in Washington to advance the US-Israel dialogue on energy.
Steinitz noted that this is the first time that the dialogue has taken place on a ministerial level, and attributed the elevation of the talks to an effort by both the US and Israeli governments to improve ties after a year of tensions arising from the Iran nuclear deal.
He said a central focus would be Israel’s experience in defending its facilities from cyber attack.