Netanyahu slams Gaza Palestinian technocratic committee’s use of PA logo

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office slams the Gaza Palestinian technocratic committee’s decision to update its logo to match the emblem of the Palestinian Authority.

“The logo of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) presented to Israel was completely different from the one published this evening,” Netanyahu’s office says in a statement.

“Israel will not accept the use of the Palestinian Authority’s symbol, and the PA will not be a partner in the administration of Gaza,” the statement adds.

The NCAG updated its logo earlier today, apparently getting rid of the original one published as part of its unveiling last month.

The only difference between the new NCAG logo and that of the PA is that the label at the bottom of it reads “NCAG,” rather than the word “Palestine.”

The logo change appeared to be a modest attempt by the technocratic committee to attach itself to the PA, despite Israeli efforts to separate the two bodies completely.

Israel has vehemently opposed any role for the PA in Gaza, though Netanyahu did concede last week that PA representatives will be part of the operational mechanism at the Rafah Border Crossing between Gaza and Egypt.

Netanyahu also did not say anything when NCAG chief commissioner’s first video statement featured a Palestinian flag.

Most of the NCAG’s members also have ties to the PA, even if they are not current officials in the administrative body based in Ramallah that oversees day-to-day governance in parts of the West Bank.