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Will Israelis, Palestinians stop unilateralism?

Both the Israeli and the Palestinian side tend to favor unilateral steps instead of negotiating a compromise that the parties have been avoiding for years.
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The Palestinian leadership is concerned with Israeli discourse, both by the government and the opposition, about future unilateral steps by Israel. On the one hand, it refers to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statement Feb. 9 about building a fence on Israel’s borders, including along the Jordan River, to defend Israel against the infiltration of “wild beasts.” On the other hand, it refers to Zionist Camp leader Isaac Herzog’s proposal for a unilateral disengagement from East Jerusalem neighborhoods.

A senior official in the direct entourage of President Mahmoud Abbas told Al-Monitor, on the condition of anonymity, that the leadership in Ramallah rejects all of Israel’s unilateral acts and proposals. “There are currently on the table some Israeli unilateral acts motivated by devastating intentions and others with better intentions. But both are dangerous and bound to fail,” he said.

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