Gantz, Abbas Discuss Security Coordination in Phone Call

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas raises a picture taken from the “New York Times” during a speech at the UN General Assembly (Reuters)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas raises a picture taken from the “New York Times” during a speech at the UN General Assembly (Reuters)
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Gantz, Abbas Discuss Security Coordination in Phone Call

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas raises a picture taken from the “New York Times” during a speech at the UN General Assembly (Reuters)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas raises a picture taken from the “New York Times” during a speech at the UN General Assembly (Reuters)

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz asked Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas to work on restoring security coordination to abort attempts to spread chaos, a Tel Aviv political source revealed on Tuesday.

“Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called Defense Minister Benny Gantz to congratulate him on the Jewish New Year,” the PA news agency WAFA reported.

An Israeli official confirmed the conversation, albeit a short one, and said the two also discussed the security situation in the West Bank and reinforcing security coordination.

Gantz also asked Abbas to work toward stopping the escalation.

According to informed Israeli sources, Gantz seized the opportunity in Abbas’s call to urge the PA head to “restore security coordination between the PA and Tel Aviv to the way it was before,” stressing that it was in the interest of both Israelis and Palestinians.

Gantz’s office said that the defense minister discussed with Abbas “the security situation in Judea and Samaria (the Israeli naming of the occupied West Bank territories), and the need to strengthen security coordination to ensure that law and order are upheld.”

It added that Gantz also discussed strengthening of the PA’s control over the West Bank’s Area A, as stipulated by the Oslo Agreement.

For his part, Abbas said that the cause of tension in the occupied Palestinian territories is due to the strict measures that Israel exercises against citizens, ranging from daily mass arrests to encouraging settler militias to carry out attack.

However, Gantz warned that “there is a significant increase in Palestinian terrorist operations against the Israeli army and settlers, and this forces the army to be present in a large way and to pursue organizations to thwart such operations.”

The Israeli source affirmed that although the conversation between Gantz and Abbas was cordial it resembled a “voiceless dialogue.”



Aoun Says Lebanon Committed to Implementing Reforms, Disarming Hezbollah

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun attends a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Sarah Meyssonnier/Pool via AP)
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun attends a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Sarah Meyssonnier/Pool via AP)
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Aoun Says Lebanon Committed to Implementing Reforms, Disarming Hezbollah

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun attends a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Sarah Meyssonnier/Pool via AP)
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun attends a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Sarah Meyssonnier/Pool via AP)

President Joseph Aoun has reiterated that Lebanon is committed to implementing reforms and to Hezbollah’s disarmament.

"Lebanon needs time and space to resolve these matters calmly," Aoun told a delegation from the American Task Force for Lebanon (ATFL) at Baabda Palace on Monday.

In response to a question about his vision for disarming Hezbollah, Aoun emphasized "the importance of resorting to dialogue," saying: "As I said in my inaugural speech, there is no place for any weapons or any armed groups except within the framework of the state. Matters are resolved through communication and dialogue, because, after all, Hezbollah is a Lebanese component."

"We will soon begin working on devising the national security strategy, from which the national defense strategy will emerge,” he added.

The President also affirmed Lebanon's full commitment to UN Resolution 1701, hailing UNIFIL's work in the South Litani sector.

He also pointed out to Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement.

There has been several weeks of intensifying Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon targeting members of Hezbollah, including two strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, and rocket fire from Lebanon onto Israel. Hezbollah has denied any role in the rocket attacks.

The exchange of fire tested an already shaky ceasefire that ended a year-long war between Israel and Hezbollah, and calls for the disarmament of armed groups across Lebanon.

The ATFL delegation also visited on Monday Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, who expressed views similar to Aoun.

Salam stressed the importance of implementing a reform plan and continuing efforts for the state to be the sole bearer of arms.