The exceptional visit follows a meeting between Gantz and Abbas in the Palestinian city of Ramallah last summer. At that time, too, economic cooperation, as well as security issues, were discussed.
peace talks
Relations between the Israeli and Palestinian authorities have been strained for a long time. Last year threatened Abbas has yet to withdraw from security cooperation with Israel in response to Israel’s plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank.
Formal peace talks between the two sides have not taken place in over a decade. New Israeli right-wing nationalist Prime Minister Bennett has previously ruled out such talks. He did, however, say that he is in favor of better relations with the Palestinian Authority. He also says he wants to improve living conditions in the West Bank.
Tensions in the West Bank have risen again recently, when Israeli forces clashed with hundreds of Palestinians. That followed a number of incidents around the eviction of a Jewish religious school.
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