RAMALLAH, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian national unity government on Tuesday urged Israel to end its civil administration in the West Bank, saying it "undermines" the Palestinian National Authority (PNA).
In its weekly statement to press, the Palestinian government criticized Israel's intention to strengthen the Israeli Civil Administration (ICA) by employing more staff, adding that it will consider how to respond to the Israeli move.
The statement expressed the PNA's discontent with the ICA's attempts "to open direct channels with Palestinian citizens and businesspersons."
It called the ICA "the main arm of the Israeli occupation to seize control over the West Bank and consolidate the occupation in all aspects of life."
The statement stressed that the ICA should have been dismantled years ago under the Oslo Accords that were signed between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel in 1993.
"Those steps are a clear Israeli annulment of the Oslo Accords and a unilateral retracting of signed agreement," said the statement.
ICA is a civil-miliary body that is mandated with coordinating Israeli government's dealing with Palestinians in the West Bank, but not Jewish settlers who live in the settlements.
Its activities include issuing special permits for movement of Palestinians and goods that are required to pass some Israeli checkpoints.
