Palestine President Rare Visit to Israel
Recently the Palestine President went on an important visit to Israel. This is the first time Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has held a meeting with an Israeli leader in Israel since 2010.
Key focus areas:
- Implementation of economic and civic measures.
- Earlier, Israel’s Defense Ministry had announced confidence building measures with the Palestinian Authority (PA).
- These measures include an advance payment of $32 million by Israel to the Palestinian Authority in taxes collected on its behalf. In addition, 600 additional permits have also been granted to Palestinian traders to allow them to pass through Israel.
- Promote security coordination and prevent terror and violence in the interests of both Israel and Palestine.
- Creating a political framework for ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
- The Palestinian government administers the autonomous regions of the Israeli-controlled West Bank. Palestine wants an independent state, which includes the entire West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.
- In 1967, Israel had established control over all three regions. However, in 2005 it withdrew its control from the Gaza Strip.
- Later, Hamas took control of the region. Thus, the Palestinians were split between two rival governments.
- Traditionally, India has been a strong supporter of Palestinian independence. India has taken a morally and legally appropriate approach against Israeli occupation.
Source – The Hindu
