Biden victory breathes life back into Israeli-Palestinian cooperation

Nov 18, 2020

The Palestinian-Israeli Declaration of Principles, commonly referred to as the Oslo Accords, is alive and well. That much was clear in a letter dated Nov. 17, Kamil Abu Rukun, the Israeli coordinator of government activities in the territories, to Hussein Sheikh, the Palestinian minister of civil affairs. Israel army officer Abu Rukun wrote, “The bilateral Israeli Palestinian agreements continue to form the applicable legal framework governing the conduct of the parties on financial and other matters.” The official also noted that Israel will continue to collect taxes on behalf of Palestinians, as stipulated in the Paris Economic Protocol of 1994.

The letter produced a surprise decision by the Palestinian leadership. Sheikh tweeted, “In light of the calls made by President [Mahmoud] Abbas regarding Israel’s commitment to the bilateral signed agreements, based on the official written and [verbal assurances] we received, confirming Israel’s commitment to them … the relationship with #Israel will return to how it was.”

Hussein later said on Palestinian TV that Palestinians had been steadfast in their principles and as a result “defeated the deal of the century,” in a reference to US President Donald Trump’s vision for peace in the Middle East that includes the annexation of 30% of Palestinian territories.

The threat of annexation was stated as the main reason the Palestinian government had unilaterally ended security coordination last May and refusal to accept the portion of the revenues Israel is not withholding. Earlier, the Palestinian government had protested Israel’s keeping of money equal to what the Palestinians spend to support the families of prisoners and those killed in resistance activities.

Already the decision has brought a sigh of relief from many Palestinians who depend on their government. Civil servants who have been receiving portions of their salaries for months were promised their full wages. With the occupied Palestinian territories suffering extra due to the coronavirus pandemic, the money will certainly be a boost not only to the nearly bankrupt Palestinian government but to the overall Palestinian economy.