Abbas: Obama is 'doing nothing' for Middle East peace
In Argentine daily, Abbas called on Brazil's president to take more active role as mediator.
By DPA Tags: Mahmoud Abbas Israel news Middle East peacePalestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas complained that U.S. President Barack Obama "is doing nothing for the peace process" in the Middle East so far.
"For now he is doing nothing, but he has invited us to revive the peace process. I hope that in the future he can play a more important role," Abbas said in an interview published Tuesday by the Argentine daily Clarin.
Instead, Abbas again called upon Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to take a more active role as mediator in the Middle East.
"He can do it, because he has good relations with the two parties in the conflict and I think he can help," said Abbas, who has visited with Lula in recent days, along with separate visits from President Shimon Peres and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Abbas expressed the hope that "the United States [will] put pressure on the Israelis to abide by international law, so that the roadmap can be implemented."
Abbas, who was in Argentina Tuesday, said he was pleased with the results of his ongoing South American tour, which initially took him to Brazil and was also to include a stay in Chile.
"President Lula can now take on a mediating role because he has ties of trust with the two parties in the conflict. Besides, he also has a good relationship with the U.S. government. Brazil can play that role," Abbas stressed.
He anticipated, however, that the Palestinians will not make any more concessions than they have already made.
"We accepted to have only 22 per cent of Palestine, and that is the biggest concession. And we also accepted that Israel had 78 per cent. So, what kind of concessions are they expecting from us?" he said.
"Now we are ready to announce our independence if the Israelis will allow us to," he said.
Abbas said, however, that independence would not be declared unilaterally.
"[The Israelis] are trying to say that we the Palestinians are seeking a unilateral decision. We are not seeking a unilateral decision," he said.
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He has so many othe priorities Iran isn't listening to him, neither is N. Korea Unemployment 10.2% Dollar is losing it's value Healthcare is proving a problem and to top it off A U.S. Army Major of "Palestinian/Jordanian" descent, let loose with gunfire that killed 13 ane wounded 38 at Ft. Hood, an American Army base in Texas Lsst nite, two people snuck into the White House Dinner, under the noses of the Secret Service and White House Security, and they weren't detected, leaving just before the guests were to be seated for dinner Obama has lot's of problems, most of them self-induced
With the UN Partition Plan, which the Arabs violated on 5/14/48, when they attacked Israel with their five Arab Armies, Plus Palestinian Irregulars Then the Rhodes Armistice of 1949, which the Arabs again violated when Nasser blocked the Suez to Israeli Shipping, an ACT OF WAR, by International Law or the 1967 war, which Egypt & Syria started, resulting in the loss of Arab territory, that you can blame the Arabs for You're quoting a lot of stuff, leaving out the important facts, the Arabs started the mess
Quite correct, 22% isn't enough The portion tha the Brits stole from the Mandate and gave to Emir Abdullah, should be returned to Israel, since that consisted of 75% of the Mandate Lands the Brits mal-administered Shtei Gedot L'Yaarden, Zoo shelanun zoo gam cane
In some circles, it could be interpreted as an assault on one's intelligence for an Israeli (or supporter) to blame Abbas as an obstructionist to peace when Israel has occupied Palestinian territory for 42 years, refused to withdraw from those territories in violation of international law and UN resolutions, and built on those territories and annexed Jerusalem in violation of UN resolutions and the 4th Geneva Convention and therefore is in commission of a war crime. The same Israel that is violating human rights and in violation of article 33 of the 4th Geneva Convention for blockading Gaza and there also in commission of a war crime for collective punishment of a civilian population. What in the world could Abbas do to compete with that record of hostility and obstructionism? The reason for the PLO existence is to govern an independent sovereign State of Palestine in the occupied territory: The same role the Israeli govt will have for the rest of Palestine.
If Abbas is expecting Obama to act as his agent he has another thing coming. Abbas is being the obstructionist to peace, setting unprecedented preconditions on negotiations. The truth is the PLO doesn't want peace. Without a struggle there is no reason for their existence. Until there is responsible, uncorrupt PA leadership, this is as good as it's going to get for the palestinians.
The reality is that Obama is not going to "force" Israel to do anything Israel doesn't want to do. Unfortunately, the Palestinians don't seem to "get it". They operate under a delusion that Obama will do something that he won't and can't do. Thus this delusion creates an obstacle to the Palestinians being realistic as to what they can expect in order to settle their dispute with Israel.
"We accepted to have only 22 per cent of Palestine, and that is the biggest concession. And we also accepted that Israel had 78 per cent. So, what kind of concessions are they expecting from us?" - Abbas Israel wants 100% of Israel, Judea and Samaria. The only concession that Israel wants is total submission and evacuation of all Arabs on it's turf. The world will never help Palestine, so Palestinians should change the subject. If you have no home in Palestine, then the world should find you homes other places in the world.
He has done nothing at all. He is a nice guy, all charisma and no substance. Like John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. He has accomplished nothing. Only a man willing to stand up to Netanyahu and squeeze his financial balls could have accomplished anything. Bibi Netanyahu is not a nice guy, he is a ruthless guy, and he crushed Obama at their first meeting. The situation is simple. Netanyahu need only wait out the next three years and he wins. And he wins when there is no Palestine, and no peace. Because Bibi has only one thing to sell. Fear. If Abbas was counting on Obama to save hope of peace - and he was not alone - he is the last to realize that there is no hope for peace.
"He anticipated, however, that the Palestinians will not make any more concessions than they have already made." They haven't made any. "We accepted to have only 22 per cent of Palestine, and that is the biggest concession. And we also accepted that Israel had 78 per cent. So, what kind of concessions are they expecting from us?" he said." Jordan is 78% of Palestine, Jew-free. The Arabs tried to kick the Jews out of the rest. Jews are willing to make a concession of a small percentage (about 3-5%) of the West Bank so that the Palestinians get 100% of their Jew-free land. Demanding 100% of the territories is not a concession by any stretch of the imagination. What grants the Palestinians the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem? They attacked the Jews, lost, kicked the Jews out of the territories they won, and act as though they are making concessions? What a laughable dunce. If he wants to be realistic, drop the demand for 100% of the territories.
President Obama is very smart. There are so many dangerous hotheads in the Middle East that no matter what you say or do, you are liable to set off blowback, maybe because you didn't invite them to a birthday party or their daughter didn't win Miss Lebanon. No really! Jerusalem? Think about it. Anybody that addresses that issue will likely make everybody mad. So I think President Obama is being very smart in how he handles the Peace Process. If Arabs and Israelis want to use Hillary or someone else to send messages back and forth, that's fine. But for once and for all, Israeli and Palestinian Leaders need to put their heads together and decide how to work out all their major issues. There's lots of money to be made in a peaceful Middle East and every moment that goes by without a settlement between the Arabs and the Jews means time and money are being wasted. Time and money that's better spent on improving life and having a little fun. Fun like Club Med fun.
why should Obama be any different...he sees a loser, ignores the loser. Obama sees how intractable abbass is with no real base, just bluster, no depth just an echo trying to beg for a place for his sorry ego...sorry, no sale, after 5 years of foot shooting and foot dragging.
Actually, Abbas has the gaul to criticize Mr. Obama, when in fact, it is President of the PA who created pre-conditions about stopping settlements and refusing to recognize Israel as a Jewish State. We are sick and tired of the whining complaints emanating from the PA blaming all failures on Israel and the US. Maybe Mr. Abbas would prefer us cutting off all aid to the PA territories. It is time for Abbas to get off his fat behind and act like a leader instead of a wimp.
The Cairo speech raised hopes. Hillary's capitulation speech on settlements and the USA's obstruction of the Goldstone Report crushed those hopes. Obama has been rhetoric with no action. The Nobel Peace Prize has not been earned. Israel has the USA on its side, and Palestine has no super-power sponsor. Without such sponsorship, Palestine will go into any negotiations at a disadvantage. The dream of a free, contiguous, unoccupied, viable Palestine will likely not happen under Obama's and Netanyahu's watch. Justice has been placed on the shelf. The Palestinians have been a peaceful people despite a few extremists, as there are in any nation. Unfortunately the entire Palestian people have been sujected to the worst side of an occupation whether deservant or not. I truly believe they will have a rebirth but not under Netanyahu and Obama.
Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has done many things for the peace process and he's very keen in reaching a peace deal with Israel but the fact is that Israel has no intention now to do its commintments and obligations for peace because there are radicals in office. how can we achieve peace while there is a terrorist organization Hamas government and Netanyahu rightist and fanatic gang as a government. let's get rid of them democratically and then we can reach a peaceful solution for two states living side by side in peace and security
As a Brazilian-American living in Rio, I believe the Iramaraty (the Brazilian Foreign Ministry) is ready, willing and able to take on the roll suggested by Abbas. I think Obama can take all the help that he can get at this moment; he is literally overwhelmed with problems--the first and foremost in foreign affairs being Afghanistan and the Iranian nuclear issue. Health Care has sucked everything around it like a black hole, and financial regulations and climate change have suffered as a result. I support Obama fully but he IS human, you know, and can only slay so many dragons at once. Obama needs to act more like a Roman Centurian, and create a block of supporters to help tackle world problems. Brazil, and other countries, can make up that block.