Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas declared Tuesday that the PA is "absolved" of all security agreements and understandings between Israel and the PLO, in addition to agreements with the US, according to the Palestinian WAFA news agency. Abbas also placed responsibility for the West Bank on Israel as an "occupying power."
Abbas stressed that security-related agreements are included in his statement.
The Oslo Accords (1993), Hebron Agreement (1997) and Wye River Memorandum (1998) established the security parameters, cooperation frameworks and the civilian and security administrative divisions between the IDF and PA in the West Bank.
The declaration came in response to a proposed Israeli annexation of sections of the West Bank, such as the Jordan Valley and Israeli settlements, in accordance with the conditions outlined in US President Donald Trump's "Deal of the Century," which was revealed to the international community in late January 2020.
In the statements on Tuesday, Abbas also announced that "the Israeli occupation authority, as of today, has to shoulder all responsibilities and obligations in front of the international community as an occupying power over the territory of the occupied state of Palestine."
The Palestinian leader stressed that this included all "consequences and repercussions based on international law and international humanitarian law," including holding Israel responsible for the protection of the civilian population and their property, criminalizing collective punishment and banning annexation, among other issues.
It is unclear what the role of the PA would be should Abbas act on the statement. In past statements, the PA has threatened to dissolve itself and place responsibility over the area on Israel as an occupying power.
Abbas added that the PA holds the US "fully responsible for the oppression befalling the Palestinian people and we consider it a primary partner with the Israeli occupation government in all its aggressive and unfair decisions and measures against our people."
Nevertheless, Abbas said the PA remained committed to the two-state solution, adding that he planned to seek recognition of statehood in a number of international agreements and conventions that the PA has yet to join.
Abbas called on the international community to sanction Israel and to recognize the state of 'Palestine' adding that the PA would continue to pursue the Israeli government with international authorities and courts, referring specifically to the International Criminal Court which announced its intention to open a war crimes investigation into Israeli and Palestinian actions in the Gaza Strip, east Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Threats and statements similar to these made Tuesday have been repeated by Palestinian officials, including Abbas, multiple times in reference to annexation and the Deal of the Century.
In February, Abbas announced that he had informed Israel and the US that the Palestinians would cut all ties with them, including security relations. Despite the threats, security coordination was not disrupted, however, in those statements, Abbas had not referenced placing responsibility over the West Bank in Israel's hands.
The Trump administration and Israel have cautioned the Palestinians against seeking statehood recognition, describing it as a unilateral act — the same term Palestinians use to describe Netanyahu’s annexation plans.
Cnaan Lipshiz/JTA contributed to this report.