Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud AbbasReuters

Palestinian Arab NGOs are coordinating their moves in a joint action meant to thwart Israel's attempt, they claim, to “take advantage of the coronavirus crisis to establish facts on the ground and to continue its military escalation policy against the Palestinian people.”

At a meeting held by the secretaries of these organizations, and attended by senior representatives of the Fatah and the PLO, ways of action were discussed in response to Israel's planned application of sovereignty over Judea and Samaria and what Palestinian Arabs perceive as the green light given by the US for such a move.

The participants emphasized the importance of the boycott of Israel, acting to isolate in on the international level, and taking its leaders to justice in the International Criminal Court.

The Palestinian Authority (PA) is livid over the coalition agreement between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz, which states that the government could apply sovereignty to parts of Judea and Samaria this coming July.

Senior Palestinian Arab leaders have repeatedly made it clear that the PA will not accept annexation of territories in Judea and Samaria area and is determined to thwart the move that could lead, as it claims, to a deterioration in stability in the region.

Saeb Erekat, the Secretary-General of the Palestine Liberation Organization, said following the agreement that “a government coalition based on a commitment to annex more occupied Palestinian territory is a threat to a rules-based world order in general, but to peace, security and stability in the Middle East in particular.”