As US Secretary of State John Kerry works to infuse billions of dollars into the PA (Palestinian Authority) economy, PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) seeks to maximize the opportunity to expand the PA’s autonomous control.

PA sources report that Abu Mazen has suggested that since PA security forces have more than proven their abilities, maintaining law and order and eliminating anti-Israel terror from PA areas, the control for borders between Israel and the PA should be handed over to PA forces instead of the IDF. The proposal is apparently under US and EU consideration.

While Kerry works to enlist corporate giants such as Coca Cola to invest in the PA to create tens of thousands of jobs, Abu Mazen feels the Rafiach Crossing example between Gaza and Egypt is a premier example. He explains that back in the day when the PA and not Hamas controlled Gaza; that arrangement worked. He feels that PA forces under a watchful international eye is the way to go regarding crossings between the PA autonomous areas and Israel and that it is time for the IDF to relinquish control.

According to Maariv, the plan permits Israel to constantly monitor border crossing goings-on via life feed cameras. The report quotes “an Israeli security source” saying for the time being, those crossings will remain under exclusive IDF control.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)