Head of Israel’s Shin Bet Security Agency Nadav Argaman has secretly met with Palestinian Authority (PA), Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and Fatah President Mahmoud Abbas and asked him to call off Palestinian elections, Israeli media reported on Friday.
According to a report broadcast by Israeli Channel 13, Argaman met with Abbas in Ramallah over the last two weeks, the Times of Israel revealed.
Abbas Rejects Calls to Postpone Elections:
— Israel Daily News Podcast (@IsraelPodcast) March 18, 2021
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas rejected a request from Israel and the US asking him to postpone the Palestinian elections set to take place on May 22nd.
1/ pic.twitter.com/kXrtrqzG2x
Argaman urged Abbas to cancel the elections if the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas takes part, according to the Times of Israel.
The hypocrisy of Mahmoud Abbas
— יוני בן מנחם yoni ben menachem (@yonibmen) December 28, 2020
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas hosts GSS chief Nadav Argaman at his home and meets with him regularly every month, but he attacks the leaders of Arab countries because they maintain normalization with Israel.
Makes a lot of sense overall. https://t.co/6Jgmu7doeh
Meanwhile, Anadolu Agency reported the Israeli TV channel claiming that Argaman warned Abbas about pushing forward an investigation into Israeli crimes at the International Criminal Court, Fatah’s plan to run on a joint list with Hamas for the parliamentary elections and forming a coalition government with Hamas.
Sources in the PA: PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas met in Ramallah with GSS chief Nadav Argaman and at the meeting rejected Israel's demand that he cancel the parliamentary elections because of Hamas' participation in them.
— יוני בן מנחם yoni ben menachem (@yonibmen) March 19, 2021
Security officials: Israel fears elections will strengthen Ham https://t.co/3ZJTNAJLs5
The Times of Israel reported Israel’s Kan public broadcaster reporting that Nadav Argaman was rebuffed by the PA chief.
The King of Morocco refused to come to Israel before the Knesset elections and has conditions for any visit to Israel:
— יוני בן מנחם yoni ben menachem (@yonibmen) March 19, 2021
A. Renewal of negotiations between Israel and the PA.
B. A visit to Mukata in Ramallah and a meeting with Mahmoud Abbas. https://t.co/R7FHkRI5X4
Anadolu Agency quoted Israeli TV stating that a US official arrived secretly in Ramallah over the last two weeks and passed the same three warnings.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
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