Palestinians Consider Dissolving Authority (State‪)‬

The Palestinian Authority is considering one of three options if their bid for full UN membership fails, including dissolving itself, the London-based daily AL HAYAT said Sept. 24. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, applied at the UN on Sept. 23 for full Palestinian membership, a step opposed by Israel and the United States. "This is the first time the Palestinians officially consider dissolving the Authority," the Saudi-owned pan-Arab daily added in a New York-datelined report, quoting unnamed sources close to Abbas. "The consideration of this choice reflects how deep the crisis is as a result of the suspension of peace talks with Israel. Azzam Ahmed, member of the central committee of Abbas' mainstream Fatah movement who accompanied the president to New York, told AL HAYAT "The Palestinian Authority is a delusive authority. The president can't leave his headquarters in Ramallah without the approval of an Israeli army recruit at the entrance of the city ... With the current deadlock, the Authority's collapse has become inevitable. There are no negotiations, and there's no UN membership, so let Israel tighten its grip on the West Bank," he added. Israel approved Sept. 27 the construction of 1,100 settlement homes on annexed land in the West Bank, a move that complicates global efforts to renew peace talks and defuse a crisis over the Palestinian statehood bid at the United Nations.