PA president Mahmoud Abbas. Image credit: Kremlin.ru, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Israel’s defence minister Benny Gantz met with Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on Thursday to discuss security coordination ahead of US president Joe Biden’s visit to Israel and the Palestinian Territories this week.
Israel’s security establishment has expressed concerns about the possibility of escalation in the West Bank during Biden’s trip.
The meeting between Gantz and Abbas “was conducted on positive terms”, a statement from Gantz said.
The two reportedly discussed civilian cooperation and “the complexities of the upcoming period in Israel”, Gantz’s office said, seemingly referring to the approaching election campaign.
Gantz also wishes Abbas and the Palestinian people a happy Eid al-Adha holiday, which began on Friday.
“The two agreed to continue security coordination and to avoid unilateral measures”, Gantz’s office added.
Palestinian aide Hussein al-Sheikh said Abbas “stressed the importance of creating a political horizon, respecting the signed agreements and stopping the actions and measures that lead to the deterioration of the situation”.
Abbas also stressed the importance of having a “calm atmosphere” before Biden’s visit.