UN envoy Mladenov urges Ramallah to resume security coordination with Israel

In a briefing to United Nations Security Council, UN Special Coordinator for Middle East Process Nickolay Mladenov appeals to the Palestinian Authority to resume its security coordination with Israel.

Ramallah ceased coordinating with Israel in May in protest over Israel’s plans to annex the West Bank. Those plans have since been suspended, but coordination has yet to return.

As part of ending coordinating with Israel, the PA has refused to accept tax revenues which Israel collects on its behalf. Those revenues constitute a large share of the Palestinian budget.

“I appeal to the Palestinian leadership to resume its coordination with Israel and accept its clearance revenues – money that belongs to the Palestinian people and cannot be replaced by donor funding,” Mladenov says.

The PA’s refusal to accept the tax revenues has led to delayed or cut salaries across the West Bank and dealt a serious blow to the Palestinian economy in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

“The viability of the Palestinian Authority is being severely undermined by an economic and fiscal crisis that has been exacerbated by the Palestinian decision to end civilian and security coordination with Israel,” Mladenov says.

Mladenov also calls on Israel to “facilitate freer movement of Palestinian workers and goods into Israel and between the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip.”

— Aaron Boxerman