Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday said he would not renew the mandate for the Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH), accusing of acting “against us.” The decision to not renew its mandate has created “an atmosphere of tension,” according to Palestinian officials.
“We will not allow the continued presence of an international force that acts against us,” Netanyahu said in a tweet.
Netanyahu did not provide any further comment on the situation. According to Israeli media, TIPH’s mandate will formally end on Thursday, if it is not renewed. Last month, Israeli newspaper Haaretz said a confidential TIPH report showed Israel “regularly breaks international law in Hebron.”
Palestinians officials have called for the international community to pressure Israel into remaining a member of the observer mission, with President of the Palestinian National Authority Mahmoud Abbas saying Netanyahu’s decision has created “an atmosphere of tension and chaos in the region.”