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Puppet leader
By Gideon Levy
Tags: Abba, Gideon Levy

Click here for more articles by Gideon Levy

Mahmoud Abbas has to stay home. As things stand right now, he must not go to Washington. Even his meetings with Ehud Olmert are gradually turning into a disgrace and have become a humiliation for his people. Nothing good will come of them. It has become impossible to bear the spectacle of the Palestinian leader's jolly visits in Jerusalem, bussing the cheek of the wife of the very prime minister who is meanwhile threatening to blockade a million and a half of his people, condemning them to darkness and hunger.

If Abu Mazen were a genuine national leader instead of a petty retailer, he would refuse to participate in the summit and any other meetings until the blockade of Gaza is lifted. If he were a man of truly historic stature he would add that no conference can be held without Ismail Haniyeh, another crucial Palestinian representative. And if Israel really wanted peace, not only an "agreement of principles" with a puppet-leader that will lead nowhere, it should respect Abbas' demand. Israel should aspire for Abu Mazen to be considered a leader in the eyes of his people, not only a marionette whose strings are pulled by Israel and the United States, or affected by other short-term power plays.
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Right now power rests with the powerless Abu Mazen. Since Washington - and perhaps Jerusalem as well - badly want the photo-op otherwise known as a "peace summit" to show off an "achievement," Abu Mazen could and should threaten to boycott the meeting to try and force some achievement on behalf of his people. Palestinians live in Gaza, too - an area controlled by Hamas, which Abu Mazen so loathes: He cannot continue to ignore the inhumane conditions in which Gazans live, caged in by Israel.

But the impression Abu Mazen makes is that he's no more than a political survivor. He's participating in the American-Israeli masked ball not because of naivete or weakness - for him, Gaza is just as "hostile territory" as Israel is. Therefore, he shares a shameful common interest with Israel, which will do neither side any good. Judging by his behavior Abu Mazen not only doesn't object to what Israel is doing in Gaza, he may even agree with the twisted doctrine arguing that cruel pressure will subdue Hamas and return the people to Fatah's embrace. In so doing, Abu Mazen proves that he's no "downy chick," as Ariel Sharon once put it, but a cynical rooster who cares little for the welfare of his people.

A genuine peace conference should involve all the hawks. Peace is forged between bitter enemies. The question of whether Saudi Arabia will take part in the summit or not is futile unless it includes real Palestinian representation. At most Abu Mazen represents only half of his people and could achieve, at best, half an agreement that wouldn't survive anyhow, given Hamas' strong opposition. It is in the interests of all the parties involved, including Abu Mazen, to drag Hamas to the negotiation table. A peace conference without Hamas and without Syria is a joke. But the short-sighted coalition of the royal triumvirate, Jerusalem-Washington-Ramallah, is trying to promote a false vision of "peace talks" without the decisive partners, while the world is busy applauding this illusion.

Obviously, it is hard to expect from Abu Mazen that he will rise above his narrow interests and call for an invitation to be issued to Hamas, the party that was democratically elected to lead the Palestinian government. But the least one could expect from the person with the lofty title of "President of the Palestinian Authority" is to strive for the greater good of all his people, especially in light of the extent of their distress. But instead of acting to bring about a cessation of hostilities and opening Gaza to the world, the triumvirate is busy formulating yet another position paper that won't be worth the paper it's written on and that will soon find itself in the garbage bin of history, along with its predecessors. It will only serve to impose increasingly cruel hardships on the people of Gaza. Abu Mazen must not participate in this farce.
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  1.   The Puppet should definately stay at home 13:33  |  Palestinian Brit 23/09/07
  2.   He is a quisling, hands tied, money 13:44  |  MA 23/09/07
  3.   The Devil Has Come to Dine 13:44  |  Natallie Durson 23/09/07
  4.   Gideon Levy (and others) 13:45  |  Bob 23/09/07
  5.   Olmert should stay home too 14:02  |  Herbert Kaine 23/09/07
  6.   Olmert should stay home too 14:02  |  Herbert Kaine 23/09/07
  7.   Olmert should stay home too 14:02  |  Herbert Kaine 23/09/07
  8.   The quisling should be tried for treason:1.for plotting the 14:07  |  lakshmi 23/09/07
  9.   Good to talk 14:08  |  Palestinian Brit 23/09/07
  10.   The truth is the summit is a farce and everyone including Levy 14:11  |  Judith, Haifa 23/09/07
  11.   busy gideon 14:16  |  joe 23/09/07
  12.   Olmert should not go to this summit. 14:34  |  Shlomo from Tel-Aviv 23/09/07
  13.   abbas the zombie 15:04  |  ravi 23/09/07
  14.   Boycott Gideon Levy 15:17  |  Morris S 23/09/07
  15.   it seems the shindig is partners for grease ! 15:23  |  victor hardman 23/09/07
  16.   PALESTINIAN STATE IS AN INVENTION OF SICK ISRAELI IMAGINATION)))) 15:35  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 23/09/07
  17.   Gideon Levy Has Hit Another Low 15:36  |  Ron 23/09/07
  18.   Palestinians have no partner for peace 15:39  |  steve 23/09/07
  19.   Levy is right 15:40  |  Rose 23/09/07
  20.   Gideon Levy has "Rigsheh" 15:40  |  Danite 23/09/07
  21.   I thought you "make peace with your enemies"?! 15:42  |  McQueen 23/09/07
  22.   Levy is just a mouthpiece for Hamas and Israel`s worst enemies 15:43  |  McQueen 23/09/07
  23.   Gideon Levy 15:53  |  Cesc Fab 23/09/07
  24.   LETS HE FINISH THE JOB, HE SHOULD ATTEND THE SUMMIT 16:03  |  indrajaya 23/09/07
  25.   Thank you! 16:04  |  JustCurious 23/09/07
  26.   The way to peace 16:39  |  Robert 23/09/07
  27.   NOBODY has a partner for peace 16:41  |  Maimon 23/09/07
  28.   Another `Haaretz` kamikaze article 16:52  |  Shalom Freedman 23/09/07
  29.   what choice? 16:53  |  khairi janbek 23/09/07
  30.   "Gideon Levy" - Funny, doesn`t sound Arab 17:10  |  Jon 23/09/07
  31.   spot on Levy 17:12  |  Pasha of Egypt 23/09/07
  32.   Gideon Levy 17:18  |  Ralph 23/09/07
  33.   Haaretz : Print Hamas` Columns Regularly in Place of Levy 17:30  |  Tod Zuckerman 23/09/07
  34.   Gideon Levy is actually from "Kach" 18:16  |  ZL 23/09/07
  35.   And Gideon Levy is a puppet of Hamas 18:21  |  Victor 23/09/07
  36.   Mr. Levy is so right 18:21  |  Sharrod 23/09/07
  37.   Levy - There`s a pro-Israel Flip Side to this coin 18:21  |  Robert 23/09/07
  38.   The value of a "peace conference" without Hamas 18:30  |  Tosefta 23/09/07
  39.   giddy is down on the levy waiting for godot 18:31  |  victor hardman 23/09/07
  40.   Hamas Darling -- Gideon Levy 18:41  |  fedup 23/09/07
  41.   Right, Gideon. 18:59  |  zeev 23/09/07
  42.   Totally agree with your excellent article,Mr GIDEON LEVY. 19:32  |  Filistinian 23/09/07
  43.   Gideon&Olmert&Abbas knows that the final solution is Jordan 19:38  |  e.m 23/09/07
  44.   YES, Abu Mazen and ALL ARAB Leaders should stay away 19:44  |  Nasser 23/09/07
  45.   Gideon Levy, 20:03  |  Robert 23/09/07
  46.   The only possible advantage 20:17  |  JW 23/09/07
  47.   Gideon Levy 20:39  |  Truths 23/09/07
  48.   Better to skip talks on peace and a state? 20:53  |  Gina 23/09/07
  49.   Yes Abbas should boycott the summit... 21:10  |  Dutch Dirk 23/09/07
  50.   Robert perfect imperial argument 21:31  |  Truth 23/09/07
  51.   Absolutely, Mr. Abbas should stay home, 21:41  |  Giles Martin 23/09/07
  52.   Giddy the pazhead.... 21:47  |  Misha 23/09/07
  53.   90% of life 22:13  |  losman 23/09/07
  54.   Totally agree with Levy! 22:25  |  Woodah 23/09/07
  55.   #33 Tod Zuckerman, The problem with Haaretz... 22:27  |  Dutch 23/09/07
  56.   The trouble with Shalom Freedman`s comment 22:47  |  Dutch 23/09/07
  57.   Re: Hamas is the Key 23:34  |  Dutch 23/09/07
  58.   if gideon really knew history or had a real idea in his head he 00:44  |  ralph 24/09/07
  59.   Israel is still building settlements in the West Bank 00:54  |  Erica Hahn 24/09/07
  60.   The "peace conference" really just an evening at a brothel. 00:57  |  Victor 24/09/07
  61.   As usual a bpmbastic title 01:24  |  Abergile 24/09/07
  62.   That article 01:34  |  Paul 24/09/07
  63.   Talk 01:37  |  Paul 24/09/07
  64.   PA is breaking the Law then 01:43  |  Paul 24/09/07
  65.   Grease 01:46  |  Paul 24/09/07
  66.   Thats wrong 01:48  |  Paul 24/09/07
  67.   this is god talkin to moshiack 02:40  |  god 24/09/07
  68.   Gideon Levy, batting for extremists yet again 02:57  |  Gili 24/09/07
  69.   Wooda, @54, totally agree with you. pals are 03:40  |  vladimir 24/09/07
  70.   puppet "writer" 03:56  |  ljf-canada 24/09/07
  71.   The Problem Is Puppets Of IDIOCY Not Puppet Leaders! ...Abbas. 05:42  |  Proud Pal Defender 24/09/07
  72.   Great acticle, Thank you Mr. Levy!! 06:01  |  Moise 24/09/07
  73.   Daniel 2:8 06:12  |  Paul 24/09/07
  74.   The Problem Is Puppets Of IDIOCY Not Puppet Leaders! ...Abbas. 06:29  |  Proud Pal Defender 24/09/07
  75.   Israel wants palestine land, not peace. 06:29  |  Niva dos santos 24/09/07
  76.   Abbas visits... 06:52  |  Fred 24/09/07
  77.   Gideon Levy is "more Papist than the Pople" 07:47  |  Ari 24/09/07
  78.   Who is "Gideon Levy" really? 08:00  |  Jonathan 24/09/07
  79.   Peace Conference 08:06  |  Ahmed M Ibrahim 24/09/07
  80.   to # 5 Herbert K 08:51  |  Steve the Pals. 24/09/07
  81.   to # 5 Herbert Kaine - Move out of Hebron 09:03  |  Steve the Pals. 24/09/07
  82.   Thanks to Israel and the US - he is a puppet 09:31  |  Steve the Pals. 24/09/07
  83.   All Palestinian institutions still anti-Israel 09:33  |  ARA 24/09/07
  84.   I agree with 32, and more 09:37  |  ARA 24/09/07
  85.   to # 66 Talmudic St. Paul !! NEW EGYPT !! 09:39  |  Steve the Pals. 24/09/07
  86.   to #`s 62 through to 66 Talmudic St. Paul 09:43  |  Steve the Pals. 24/09/07
  87.   Excellent Article 10:20  |  Palestinian Intellec 24/09/07
  88.   So True! 10:48  |  PaliMan 24/09/07
  89.   To Robert of TA 11:10  |  Admirer 24/09/07
  90.   To Shlomo 05:03  |  Mike B 01/10/07
  91.   Abbas 05:36  |  Mike B. 01/10/07
  92.   Applaud Gideon Levy 16:48  |  N Fink 02/10/07
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Amir Oren: 'Decisive' Gaza offensive merely rehearsal for next crisis versus Iran
Responses: 5
Netanyahu: Likud-led government wouldn't build new settlements
Responses: 28
Akiva Eldar: Saudi plan offers Israel united front with Arab states against Iran
Responses: 5


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