PA, Israel security forces agree to thwart September demonstrations

[ 07/08/2011 - 02:32 PM ]

RAMALLAH, (PIC)-- The Israeli newspaper Haaretz has revealed that Palestinian Authority security officials have agreed with those of Israel not to allow a violent escalation to develop during September when the PA plans on asking the United Nations to recognize Palestine as a member state.

The development coincides with statements by PA security spokesman Adnan al-Dhamiri vowing to crush any violent anti-Israel demonstrations that could be spurred during or after September.

Senior security officials have confirmed that officers from both sides have made recent contacts in that regard in the wake of concerns that prevail in the region and expectations of a possible escalation by the Palestinians that could mount to the level of a violent and wide-ranging uprising.

The newspaper confirmed that senior PA security officials have sent messages assuring that popular movements called for by PA leaders would remain peaceful as planned.

They said that marches slated for 20 September, when the UN will begin to mull over the matter, would be confined to Palestinian cities and would not spill over to confrontations with Israeli soldiers.

According to the report, Israeli security agencies are aware that the PA does not want to begin a new conflict with Israel but only wants to pressure it to achieve political gains. But the Israeli army does not have total faith that the PA security would be able to contain all potential scenarios and is weighing all possibilities.

PA security spokesman Adnan al-Dhamiri had gone public with plans to thwart any “manifestations of violence” that could occur during September, in statements he made to the Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper.

The statements came after Israeli intelligence predicted various possibilities on how the Palestinians’ stance would develop in September.

Dhamiri downplayed predictions of any major violence “that would end with the resignation of the Palestinian president and the occurrence of chaos”.

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian