Kamil Abu Rukun, who in the past served as the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, said on Thursday he expected more from recent condemnations by Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas of terrorist attacks against Israelis.
"It's fine that he condemned, but it was done after he was pressured to do it and the condemnations were half-hearted," Abu Rukun said in an interview with Reshet Bet radio.
He commented on the decision to impose a general closure of Palestinian Authority-assigned areas of Judea and Samaria during the Passover holiday and said, "I think that as long as there are no concrete warnings I would allow the population to continue working inside Israel, especially those who contribute to the economy, construction, workers and large traders, to allow the economy to continue to function."
Abu Rukun criticized the extensive media coverage of the IDF's renovation work on Joseph’s Tomb in Shechem (Nablus), after it had been vandalized. "There was an order and it was not complied with. We need to explain this to ourselves first and not to Abbas, but it is very important not to provoke them."
He rejected the claim that Israel did not close the gaps in the fence at the seam line, in order to allow Palestinian Arabs to enter Israel and work.
"In the end it's a matter of resources and priorities. Most people who came out from there were coming to make a living - this is the reality that created what it created. But today it’s worth to solve this issue, even if it prevents just one attack."