Abbas's Withdrawal from Agreements with Israel is Challenged by Complex Mechanisms

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas looks on as Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh sits next to him as Abbas delivers a speech following the announcement by US President Donald Trump of the Mideast peace plan, in Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank January 28, 2020. REUTERS/Raneen Sawafta/File Photo
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas looks on as Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh sits next to him as Abbas delivers a speech following the announcement by US President Donald Trump of the Mideast peace plan, in Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank January 28, 2020. REUTERS/Raneen Sawafta/File Photo
TT

Abbas's Withdrawal from Agreements with Israel is Challenged by Complex Mechanisms

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas looks on as Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh sits next to him as Abbas delivers a speech following the announcement by US President Donald Trump of the Mideast peace plan, in Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank January 28, 2020. REUTERS/Raneen Sawafta/File Photo
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas looks on as Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh sits next to him as Abbas delivers a speech following the announcement by US President Donald Trump of the Mideast peace plan, in Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank January 28, 2020. REUTERS/Raneen Sawafta/File Photo

It is will be complicated for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to carry out his threats to withdraw from all signed agreements with Israel.

Although Palestinian officials from the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) said that the implementation occurred on the spot, but no quick changes are expected to take place on the ground.

The Palestinian authority seems to be mobilizing an international campaign to inform world countries about the reasons behind its decision to step out of all agreements before implementing it. This is kind of a "final warning."

Abbas held a phone call Wednesday with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and briefed him on the authority’s decision to withdraw from all agreements signed with the occupation force.

The Palestinian president bureau said that he will intensify contacts on all levels with the Arab, international and UN leaders to mobilize an international stance against the annexation.

PLO Secretary-General Saeb Erekat also called German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and Vatican Secretary for Relations with States Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher and they discussed Palestinian matters. Also, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh contacted Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Marie Eriksen Soreide.

Reliable sources told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that this decision will be followed by detailed meetings to discuss possible means to implement it. This will occur gradually.

The Palestinian PM held an urgent meeting Wednesday to discuss ways to abolish the agreements. He is also set to meet Palestinian security bodies to discuss security deals.

Shtayyeh announced that given that Israel expressed on several occasions its intention to annex parts of the West Bank, then this abolishes all signed agreements and ends the two-state solution.



Biden Calls Israeli Strike that killed Nasrallah a ‘Measure of Justice’

Rubble of damaged buildings lies at the site of Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon September 28, 2024. REUTERS/Ali Alloush
Rubble of damaged buildings lies at the site of Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon September 28, 2024. REUTERS/Ali Alloush
TT

Biden Calls Israeli Strike that killed Nasrallah a ‘Measure of Justice’

Rubble of damaged buildings lies at the site of Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon September 28, 2024. REUTERS/Ali Alloush
Rubble of damaged buildings lies at the site of Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon September 28, 2024. REUTERS/Ali Alloush

US President Joe Biden on Saturday called the Israeli strike that killed Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah a “measure of justice.”

The comments came after Hezbollah confirmed earlier Saturday that Nasrallah, one of the group’s founders, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut the previous day.

Biden noted that the operation to take out Nasrallah took place in the broader context of the conflict that began with Hamas’ attack on Israelis on Oct. 7, 2023.

“Nasrallah, the next day, made the fateful decision to join hands with Hamas and open what he called a ‘northern front’ against Israel,” Biden said in a statement.

He also noted that Hezbollah under Nasrallah’s watch has been responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans.

The State Department on Saturday ordered the departure of the families of US diplomats who are not employed by the embassy in Beirut. It also authorized the departure of those who are, as well as nonessential employees because of “the volatile and unpredictable security situation” in Lebanon’s capital.

The State Department has previously advised American citizens to consider leaving Lebanon and reiterated its warning against all travel to the country.

“Due to the increased volatility following airstrikes within Beirut and the volatile and unpredictable security situation throughout Lebanon, the US Embassy urges US citizens to depart Lebanon while commercial options still remain available,” the department said in a statement Saturday.

The State Department routinely orders or authorizes the departure of nonessential embassy staffers and the families of diplomats when security conditions in the country where they are posted deteriorate.

An ordered departure is not technically an evacuation but does require those affected to leave. An authorized departure allows those affected to leave the country voluntarily at government expense.