U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Israeli Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, and Palestinian Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat address reporters on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict negotiations at the U.S. Department of State. Photo: State Department.

JNS.org – Hundreds of legal experts from the Legal Forum for the Land of Israel urged U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to demand that the Palestinian Authority (PA) exercise proper conduct in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict negotiations, Israel Hayom reported.

In a letter sent to Kerry on Saturday, the legal experts called on the secretary of state to enforce the rules and behavior stipulated and agreed upon in the preliminary negotiations, and to have the Palestinians stop detrimental behavior, including economic sanctions, boycotts, and acts of incitement.

Former Canadian ambassador to Israel and head of the legal forum’s international division, Alan Baker, as well as the forum’s director, Nachi Eyal, in the letter cited a series of examples that show a “clear and severe lack of good faith on behalf of the Palestinian leadership.”

“Since the start of the negotiations, we are actually witnessing an increase in boycott, divestment and sanction (BDS) activity, officially sponsored, supported and encouraged by the same Palestinian leadership that is ostensibly negotiating with Israel with your support, encouragement and accompaniment,” the letter stated.

The PA celebrated the termination of a contract with Jerusalem Wastewater and Purification Enterprises Ltd. by Royal Haskoning DHV, a Dutch water purification company, according to the letter.

“The termination of the contract has been heralded and celebrated in official press releases by the Palestinian Authority Minister and Head of the Palestinian Water Authority, Dr. Shaddad Attili , as well as by PLO Executive Committee Member Hannan Ashrawi, as a great political success against Israel,” the letter said.