ANALYSIS / Is Abbas just crying wolf again?
Abbas didn't invent the threat of resignation as a political tool - it's an old trick employed by many.
By Zvi Bar'el Tags: Palestinian election Mahmoud Abbas Israel newsResignation, or rather the threat of resignation, is not an invention of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Former Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser used to wield the same weapon to boost his public support, and Yasser Arafat would from time to time threaten to quit just to shake up public opinion. It is true that Abbas sounded adamant on Thursday, but within the past year he has made decisive announcements on other matters only to backtrack later. He accepted the resignation of his prime minister, Salam Fayyad, only to reappoint him. He pushed for the submission of the Goldstone commission report to the United Nations, but reconsidered and shifted course again.
He hinted that he would resign, and then denied it. He declared elections in January as a threat against Hamas and now he is saying he doesn't intend to stand for reelection, but has left open the door for reconsideration. If his conditions for resumption of negotiations with Israel are accepted, or if Hamas agrees to elections in June instead of January as part of a conciliation agreement with Fatah, Abbas could justify staying in office.
Despite international calls for him to stay on, from the moment Abbas demanded an immediate and total freeze of construction in the settlements as a condition for negotiations, he brought the negotiating track to a dead end. The Palestinian president misread the diplomatic map in believing that the Americans would stick to their initial firm demands for a construction freeze.
Abbas has portrayed himself as the only Palestinian partner for peace. He threw down the gauntlet to that effect on the White House lawn, but he could find himself paving the road for the opponents of peace while his gauntlet lies abandoned in Obama's front yard.
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NUMBERS 23:9 ....:Lo this people shall dwell alone,and shall not be reconed amang the nations.wild animals and bird of pray is all that ther will be oround Israel borders
Isn't it obvious? Israel gave Abbas no option other than to resign. It's the only non-violent way forward. Otherwise, he'd run the risk of allowing peaceful efforts to totally fail and trigger another intifada. Israel refuses to strengthen him. What else could he do (aside from fantasy-land requests)
Abbas knows the parties well. Obama is naive and arrogant enough to fall for any stunt Abbas may pull. I am guessing Obama will be doing carwheels on Israel's back until Abbas amazingly comes out of retirement.
... rather the 'devil' we know, than some REAL devil...
Thank you Mike for responding to the idiota #1. #1 has a twisted vision.
Two leaders were killed for trying to make peace Sadat and Rabin neither one is palestinian
It's really over for two states. Finally Abbas does the honorable (almost)thing he almost admitted that its over... now the battle shifts to equal rights and the world knows what to do and will mobilize quickly.
...to shun Israel like no country has been before.
The status quo is currently the best option and has the most support in Israel. The Israel Gov. was willing to bend alittle on permits to keep US happy but unwilling stop building. Why should Israel stop since US gov. to weak to truly fight the Jewish lobby or their money, Obama was just putting on a show for Arabs since little pressure used.
Zvi Bar'el, this is not much of an analysis. It is kicking a tragic man who feels tricked by the world. Your remark that Abbas blocks peace feels strange. It is telling that the US, Egypt, Jordan and Israel asked him to stay.
That or full blown apartheid...I wonder which it shall be?
Like all the palestinian leaders abbas has failed to improve any aspect of life for the palestinians. Why...Because every pal leader has failed to convince the pal people that peacefully coexisting with the Jews and with israel is in their best interest. Those that would try that road would surely be killed by their own and that is the nature of the palestinian problem. Until there is real peaceful coexistence with jews Nothing will change for the pals esp if they continue with jew hatred