On last day in office, Gantz speaks to Abbas: Critical to maintain dialogue

In one of his last acts as defense minister, Benny Gantz phones Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to discuss Israel’s security cooperation with the Palestinians, according to his office.

The outgoing defense minister “emphasized the important ties” between Israel and the PA, and told Abbas “it is critical to maintain an open channel of communication and coordination,” Gantz’s office says.

Gantz also tells Abbas that “measures taken against Israel in international forums,” including those being advanced by the PA, “will harm the Palestinian people and will only further alienate any political process in the future,” the statement adds.

Gantz is set to be replaced by Likud MK Yoav Gallant in the coming days, once Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government is sworn in.