BREAKING: Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has made incendiary demands, calling for the arrest of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and targeted killings of senior Palestinian Authority (PA) officials ahead of a crucial UN vote on Palestinian statehood. His comments, posted on X, come just as the UN Security Council prepares to vote on a US resolution endorsing a Gaza peace plan that references a “credible pathway” to Palestinian self-determination.
The call for Abbas’s arrest is particularly alarming, with Ben Gvir stating, “Orders must be given for targeted killings of senior Palestinian Authority officials—who are terrorists in every respect—as well as an order for the arrest of Abu Mazen,” using Abbas’s honorific title. He even revealed that a special solitary confinement cell at Ketziot Prison has been prepared for Abbas, escalating tensions significantly.
This urgent announcement follows reports from Kan News that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is making a last-minute diplomatic effort to amend the US draft resolution, which currently suggests that “conditions may be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.” The resolution calls for significant reforms to the PA and redevelopment of Gaza, but Ben Gvir’s rhetoric is raising fears of further violence.
The National Commission for Popular Action has responded forcefully, rejecting any US proposals to impose an externally controlled transitional administration on Palestinians. They emphasize that such actions represent “a new colonialism,” undermining the self-determination rights of the Palestinian people. Their statement highlights that decisions regarding Gaza’s future must originate from the Palestinians themselves, safeguarding their rights to freedom and resistance as stipulated under international law.
As the UN Security Council vote approaches on October 16, 2023, the implications of Ben Gvir’s statements could lead to an escalation in violence and further destabilize an already tense situation in the region. The world is watching closely as diplomatic efforts unfold, and the ramifications of these developments are likely to be significant.
Stay tuned for updates as this story develops.
