The Palestinian government decided on Thursday to ban entry of Israeli agricultural products into the Palestinian market following an Israeli ban on import of similar Palestinian products.
The cabinet said in a statement following its weekly meeting held in Ramallah that in accordance with the principle of protecting the local produce and the Palestinian farmer in order to achieve the government's policy of supporting the steadfastness of the Palestinian farmers, it had decided to ban entry of all Israeli vegetables, fruits and poultry.
The PA added that in light of the “unilateral Israeli decision to prevent the entry of Palestinian vegetables and fruits into Israeli markets, the government decided to prevent the entry of all kinds of vegetables, fruits and poultry into the Palestinian markets.”
On the other hand, the Palestinian government confirmed its commitment to provide the necessary requirements in order to hold legislative elections in cooperation with the Central Election Commission, as soon as PA President Mahmoud Abbas announces a date.
The Government hoped that the elections would be an input to strengthen efforts to end the division and restore national unity.
On Saturday, President Abbas said that the Palestinian Constitutional Court issued a decree to dissolve Hamas-controlled Palestine Legislative Council (PLC), asserting that the leadership is committed to the Court’s decree, which also calls for holding legislative elections in six months.
Dissolving the Council is a blow to Hamas, which has been in control of it since mid-2007, after it imposed its control on Gaza Strip.
