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Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Palestinian president announces withdrawal from all deals with Israel, US — agency

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas EPA/ALAA BADARNEH

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas

© EPA/ALAA BADARNEH

MOSCOW, May 20. /TASS/. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced on Tuesday that his country withdraws from all agreements with Israel and the United States, the WAFA news agency reported.

"The Palestine Liberation Organization and the State of Palestine today are freed from all deals and agreements with the government of the United States and Israel, and from all obligations that stem from those deals and agreements, including in the security sphere," the agency quoted the Palestinian leader as saying.

Abbas went on to say that Israel must bear responsibility for its attempts to annex the occupied Palestinian territories. He also accused the US of abetting Israel.

On May 17, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the time has come to annex a section of Palestinian territories on the West Bank for the construction of Jewish settlements. The statement was made when he presented his cabinet of ministers, formed as a result of the March 2 elections, to the country’s unicameral parliament.

In December 2016, the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 2334 demanding Israel immediately stop settlement activities on the occupied Palestinian territories. Israel said back then it would not implement this resolution.

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