Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised a “very big surprise” for the Palestinian Authority after ordering a large-scale military operation in the occupied West Bank in response to a deadly attack near Hebron.
In an interview with i24 television, given against the backdrop of the election campaign for Tuesday's parliamentary elections, Netanyahu did not directly answer whether he intends to dissolve the Palestinian Authority. Instead, he said he is a supporter of “cunning and surprise”.
“We changed the Middle East. I said we would change things, and we did,”, Netanyahu said. “The Palestinian Authority is also in for a very big surprise,” he added.The prime minister did not give details of what the announced measure would include. His statement came as he fights for his political survival in upcoming elections.
Two Israeli soldiers killed near Hebron
Two armed attackers killed two Israeli soldiers near Hebron in the southern occupied West Bank. The attackers were then shot dead.
After the attack, Netanyahu's far-right allies called for the dissolution of the Palestinian Authority. There is no indication that it is connected to the attack.
However, Netanyahu ordered a large-scale military operation in the West Bank, without specifying what specific actions will be taken against the Palestinian Authority or its structures.
What is the role of the Palestinian Authority
The Palestinian Authority was established under the Oslo Accords in the 1990s. It partially governs Palestinian territories occupied by Israel since 1967, and remains the official partner of the international community.
However, its influence does not extend to the Gaza Strip, where Hamas took power in 2007. The division between Gaza and the Palestinian territories under the autonomy's rule is among the main political issues in the Palestinian issue.
Both Netanyahu and his main rival in the elections, Gadi Eisenkot, oppose the creation of a Palestinian state. So far, the Israeli prime minister has not specified what exactly is behind his promise of a “big surprise“.
Sources: bta.bg, english.aawsat.com