TV report says Netanyahu dispatched Shin Bet to convince PA chairman to renew cooperation. Abbas refused.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu attempted to renew ties with Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas and dispatched Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) chief Nadav Argaman for this purpose, Hadashot TV reported on Thursday.
According to the report, Abbas refused all of Netanyahu’s overtures.
Argaman presented Abbas with a series of significant economic projects in an attempt to calm the region. Among other things, the report said, he offered Abbas the establishment of a joint industrial zone and partnership in the gas project opposite Gaza that Israel would be willing to promote in order to boost the PA economy.
In addition, said Hadashot TV, in recent months Argaman has met with other senior PA officials and conveyed to them the message that it is better for them to stop the disconnect from Israel. Abbas was not impressed by any of the Israeli proposals and refused them all, according to the report.
The Shin Bet said in response that they do not discuss meetings held by the Shin Bet chief.
Abbas has continuously rejected US attempts to restart peace talks with Israel and has been boycotting the US ever since President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital last December.
The PA chairman has also chosen to impose preconditions on talks with Israel rather than heeding Netanyahu’s call to negotiate.
Instead, Abbas has been promoting an initiative of his own, whereby an international peace conference would be held in which an international mechanism to sponsor the peace process with Israel would be established.
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