‘Palestinian leaders cut all security coordination with Israel’

RAMALLAH — Leaders of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), led by President Mahmoud Abbas, decided on Thursday to stop all forms of security coordination with Israel, Palestinian officials said.

Three members of the Palestinian Central Council (PCC), the second highest Palestinian decision-making body, told Reuters the decision was taken during the two-day meeting that ended on Thursday. Decisions by the PLO are usually binding on the Palestinian Authority.

"The council decided to cease all forms of security coordination with Israel," a PLO official told Reuters.

A statement issued by the 110-member PCC read: "Security coordination in all its forms with the authority of the Israeli occupation will be stopped in the light of its [Israel's] non-compliance with the agreements signed between the two sides."

It said Israel "should shoulder all its responsibilities towards the Palestinian people in the occupied state of Palestine as an occupation authority according to international law".

The decision was certain to provoke Israel. Security coordination is seen as vital to maintain calm in the West Bank.