Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has again threatened to end security coordination with Israel and the United States, saying Israeli annexation of large parts of the occupied West Bank would ruin chances for peace.
Abbas said Tuesday the Palestinian government was "absolved, as of today, of all the agreements and understandings with the American and Israeli governments and of all the obligations based on these understandings and agreements, including the security ones."
He said Israel would now have to “uphold responsibilities before the international community as the occupying power.”
Speaking after a meeting of the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah, Abbas said Israeli annexation of any parts of the West Bank would ruin chances for a two-state solution.
He has made multiple previous threats to end security cooperation with Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday swore in a new unity government with former rival Benny Gantz.
The coalition agreement allows Netanyahu to present an annexation proposal to the government as soon as July 1.
The PM campaigned in a March election on annexing both the Jordan Valley, a key strategic area in the West Bank, as well as settlements dotted throughout the territory.
Abbas last week said any annexation would lead them to rip up all agreements.
Most of the international community is opposed to annexation, which many fear would make it impossible to create a viable Palestinian state. The two-state solution is still widely seen as the only way of resolving the decades-long conflict.
