Ben Gvir Demands Netanyahu Arrest President Abbas

SadaNews - Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir demanded on Monday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrest Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The far-right minister made his appeal during a meeting with deputies from his party "Jewish Power," broadcast by the Knesset Channel: "I urge Prime Minister Netanyahu to declare that Abu Mazen (Abbas) has no immunity."

He added: "If they hurry at the United Nations to recognize this fabricated state (Palestine), then you, Mr. Prime Minister, should order targeted assassinations of senior Palestinian Authority officials, in addition to announcing the arrest of Abu Mazen, and I will deal with him."

Ben Gvir said it is "forbidden for the Palestinian people to have a state," according to his claims.

He continued: "In recent days, we have witnessed discussions about establishing a Palestinian state. Today, this matter will be presented in the UN Security Council," referring to the American resolution regarding a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Ben Gvir claimed that the goal of the Palestinian state is "the elimination of the State of Israel."

On Friday, the permanent missions of Turkey, the United States, Qatar, Egypt, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Jordan at the UN issued a joint statement declaring their support for the American draft resolution that is scheduled to be voted on in the Security Council later today.

The draft was crafted by Washington after intensive consultations with council members and regional partners, followed by a welcome from the Palestinian Authority headed by Mahmoud Abbas.

Among what the draft stipulates is that "after implementing the reform plan for the Palestinian Authority, the conditions may be met for a credible path towards self-determination and the establishment of a Palestinian state."

Amid the genocide in Gaza, countries have recognized Palestine during UN meetings in September, raising the number of nations acknowledging it to 160 out of 193 member states of the international organization.

A ceasefire agreement in Gaza came into effect on October 10, mediated by Egyptian, Qatari, American, and Turkish efforts, amidst ongoing Israeli violations and its hindrance to transition to the second phase of the agreement related to security and administrative arrangements in the strip and Israeli withdrawals.

The agreement ended a genocide in Gaza, initiated by Israel on October 8, 2023, with American support, that lasted for two years, resulting in over 69,000 Palestinian deaths and more than 170,000 injuries, and massive destruction affecting 90 percent of the civilian infrastructure in the strip.