Twin decisions by the Palestinian Authority Sunday night to appeal to the UN Security Council for statehood recognition while also moving to maintain security cooperation with Israel, testify — odd as it may sound — to an interest in preventing a rupture in Israeli-Palestinian relations, at least in the near future.

The same interest in keeping calm was on display last week as relative quiet in the West Bank was preserved despite the death of Palestinian official Ziad Abu Ein at a West Bank demonstration during a confrontation with Israeli security forces.

It is likely that the ill-timed death of Abu Ein, on the eve of the anniversary of the founding of Hamas, was also a contributing factor in the decision by Fatah to refrain from organizing large demonstrations at friction points with Israel. No one in the PA or Fatah wanted a third intifada to break out during the rival faction’s festival.

The media in Israel and around the world naturally focused mostly on the first half of the decision by the Palestinian leadership — the plan to appeal to the Security Council on Wednesday — and less on the other part.

But the conclusion by the PA to maintain all-important security cooperation shows that while Ramallah may be interested in a diplomatic confrontation with Israel, it is definitely not aiming for a violent clash.

This is a constant refrain from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas: Yes to a popular and diplomatic resistance, but no to violence.

Preserving the security cooperation with Israel is likely to help uphold the relative quiet in the West Bank.

Read the article in full at Times of Israel.