Israel Seeks to Separate Gaza From West Bank, PLO Warns

On Sunday, the Palestinian presidency spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh rejected the Israeli attempts to "separate Gaza from the West Bank," saying they "will not achieve security and stability for anyone."

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Gaza is an integral part of the Palestinian territory under the jurisdiction of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), he said, adding that the Israeli attempts to separate Gaza from the West Bank will fail and will not be allowed, regardless of any pressure or threat.

Abu Rudeineh urged Israel to stop aggression against Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank, calling on the United States to immediately act to halt the conflict in the enclave.

He emphasized that security and stability in the region and the world "will only be achieved by ending the Israeli occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders."

Abu Rudeineh reiterated that any international efforts would be futile as long as the occupation of the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem persists.

Earlier in the day, Hussein Al-Sheikh, secretary of the PLO executive committee, condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's declaration on retaining security control over Gaza once the ongoing conflict ends.

In a televised speech on Saturday, Netanyahu announced that Israel would work to establish full security control over Gaza after the conflict, aiming to "eliminate security threats" while refusing to allow the Palestinian Authority to return to Gaza.