Fearing Israel invasion, PA destroy secret documents

Palestinian Authority (PA) security services have destroyed secret documents, fearing Israeli occupation forces may invade the West Bank and break into its offices, Rai Al-Youm reported yesterday.

Quoting AFP, the Arabic site said that the PA is afraid of an Israeli invasion similar to what in 2000 when occupation forces broke into the PA’s offices and destroyed documents.

Sources, who refused to disclose their identities, said: “We have been ordered to destroy confidential documents in our possession and we have obeyed this order.”

The documents were scanned and saved on electronic devices before hard copies were shredded, the devices were then taken to a safe place to stop Israeli occupation forces from seizing and destroying them.

READ: PLO calls for global coalition to confront Israel annexation plans

Tensions between the PA and Israel have heightened in recent months as a result of Israel’s announcement of its plan to annex large swathes of the occupied West Bank and Jordan Valley from 1 July.

Palestinian estimates indicate that the Israeli annexation plan will cover more than 30 per cent of the West Bank.

In response to his announcement, the Palestinian Authority said that it is no longer bound by all agreements with Israel, including those relating to security.

Palestinian president Abbas ends ‘all agreements’ with Israel, US – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]