Butcher netanyahu threatens PA over treaty move

The Israeli prime minister has threatened to take unilateral measures against the Palestinian Authority (PA) unless it abandons plans to join 15 UN agencies and international treatises.

Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that the PA treaty move launched on April 1 undermines the US-brokered talks between Tel Aviv and the Palestinians.

“Any unilateral moves they take will be answered by unilateral moves at our end,” the Israeli premier said.

The comments come as the Israeli-PA talks reached a new deadlock when Tel Aviv refused to free the final batch of over 100 Palestinian prisoners in late March as part of a deal for the resumption of the negotiations. The PA, in response, decided to go ahead with its applications to adhere to the international treaties and join the agencies.

Representatives from Israel and the PA are set to meet US envoy Martin Indyk on Sunday in an effort to keep the so-called peace talks on track.

On April 4, US Secretary of State John Kerry said there were “limits” to the time and energy that the US administration could give to the talks.

The release of Palestinian prisoners is not the only thorny issue that has been hindering the negotiations between the two sides.

Since the resumption of the direct talks last July, Palestinians have also objected to Israel’s illegal settlement expansion in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The Israeli settlements are considered illegal under international law. However, Netanyahu says the settlement construction is part of Tel Aviv’s policy and will not stop.

The PA also refuses to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, saying it would not accept any agreement with the regime which fails to include East al-Quds (Jerusalem) as the capital of a future Palestinian state.