The Central Council of the Palestine Liberation Organization decided to establish the Palestinian National Authority to be the core of the Palestinian State and to reconsider the recognition of Israel until the latter recognizes the State of Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital.
The PLO Central Council held its 28th ordinary session on January 14-15 in Ramallah, under the theme, “Jerusalem the eternal capital of the State of Palestine,” in the presence of President Mahmoud Abbas.
Salim Al-Zaanoun, president of the council said at the opening of the session: “The time has come for our Palestinian Central Council, that is representing the Palestinian National Council… to decide its future and function and to reconsider the recognition of the State of Israel until it recognizes the State of Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital and accept the refugees' return based on resolution 194.”
He also stressed the Central Council’s rejection of any ideas that are being circulated “as part of the so-called deal of the century, because they violate international law and international community resolutions, and seek to impose a deficient solution that does not meet the minimum of Palestinians' legitimate rights.”
In a statement issued at the end of the session, the Council condemned the decision of US President Donald Trump to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and to transfer his country’s embassy to it.
It also announced that the transitional period stipulated in the agreements signed in Oslo, Cairo and Washington, with its obligations no longer stand.
The statement, read by Zaanoun, called on the international community to “shoulder its responsibilities on the basis of the relevant UN resolutions to end the Israeli occupation and enable the State of Palestine to achieve its independence and to exercise its full sovereignty over its territory.”
The Central Council reiterated its decision to stop all forms of security coordination with Israel and “to break away from the economic dependence that was enshrined in the Paris Economic Agreement to achieve the independence of the national economy.”
These decisions come in line with the directives of the Palestinian president, who in a speech, called on the Council to reconsider the agreements signed between the PLO and the Israeli government.
Abbas had previously hinted at the possibility of turning the PA into a state, saying he would not accept an “authority without power”.
