Wassel Abu Yusuf, a member of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee, said Sunday in an interview with Arab media that the Palestinian Authority (PA) leadership is considering unilaterally declaring the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and ending the transition period of the Oslo Accords.
Abu Yusuf, a member of a special PLO committee that made recommendations on actions ahead of the unveiling of the Deal of Century, said that the declaration of independence, which involves severing relations with Israel, is required even if it brings about the collapse of the PA.
Speaking about the upcoming US announcement, Abu Yusuf said that the “Palestinians” will appeal to the United Nations and the International Crimes Court of and seek international protection for their claims while commencing with “popular protest activities,” an expression for violence and riots.
Abu Yussef added that a “Palestinian” declaration of their status of a “state under occupation” is also possible, but requires broad international support and that in such an event, eastern Jerusalem will be declared the capital of the Palestinian state. Such a declaration is intended to attract direct international involvement in the region.
In the meantime, the Palestinian National Council called on the PLO Executive Committee to implement all decisions made by the organization’s institutions, most notably the decision to end the transition phase, including its political, security and economic agreements and to take the necessary steps to “escalate the resistance.”
Council members are now demanding that Arab and Islamic countries adhere to previous decisions that guarantee Palestinians’ right to self-determination and independence.
The A-Sharq al-Awsat daily also quoted a PA official as saying that a “Palestinian” announcement on the move to the independent state stage is a reasonable possibility. In such a situation, the PA and its government will end their duties and then the PLO Executive Committee will become a provisional government and the National Council will become the Palestinian Parliament. These institutions will seek international protection and full UN membership.
In this regard, it should be noted that Hamas is not a member of the PLO institutions, and therefore Hamas spokesmen are calling for the convening of the entire leadership to formulate a new confrontation strategy.
The possibility of a unilateral declaration of this independent state has previously been discussed many times by the PA leadership and is considered a dangerous and sensitive plan because of the expected implications for the Palestinian Authority and the Arab population in its territory.
Many on the Arab street tend to underestimate these threats and Fatah activists worry about the lack of willingness on the street to mobilize for the benefit of the Palestinian Authority leadership.
“This is a course of suicide on the part of Abu Mazen [Mahmoud Abbas] and the end of the PLO’s Palestinian dream,” a Fatah official told TPS.
“Dependency on Israel binds the Palestinian Authority to existing agreements and, if the PA’s residents find themselves in serious civilian condition following the collapse of essential services, the Palestinian leadership will be perceived as equally responsible as Israel. This is a declarative step that has no political benefit for the Palestinians,” he added.