Abbas signals resistance to U.S. pressure for direct talks
PA President says that unless there is progress in the next week, he will continue the U.S.-mediated, indirect talks.
By Reuters Tags: Israel news Mahmoud Abbas Middle East peace USPalestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has indicated he will resist United States pressure for face-to-face peace talks with Israel for now, saying indirect negotiations must make progress first.
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U.S. envoy George Mitchell meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on July 16, 2010. |
| Photo by: Reuters |
Abbas has said he wants the indirect negotiations to produce results on the issues of the security and borders of a future Palestinian state to be founded alongside Israel on land it occupied in 1967.
In an address to the Fatah Revolutionary Council, Abbas said that unless there was progress in the next week, he would continue the U.S.-mediated, indirect talks until a September deadline set out by the Arab League earlier this year.
The Arab League committee that approved the indirect talks is due to convene in Cairo on July 29. "
If there is a positive development from now to the 28th, we will present it to the League," Abbas said according to the text of the speech delivered on Tuesday and published by the official WAFA news agency on Thursday.
"If that does not happen, we will say to the League that we will continue in the indirect talks as they are until the four-month mandate ends."
The Palestinian leader, his credibility eroded by the failure of past negotiations, faces pressure from the Fatah party which he leads to avoid more direct talks with Israel.
Abbas is wary of more direct talks with the Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who he believes is not ready to make peace on terms the Palestinians can accept.
But he is facing pressure from U.S. President Barack Obama to agree to direct talks, which Netanyahu says he is willing to begin right away. George Mitchell, Obama's Middle East envoy, asked Abbas again to begin direct talks in a meeting on Saturday, a senior Palestinian official said.
Abbas has resisted waves of U.S. pressure for direct talks, but his administration depends on the political and financial backing of Western states that want to see direct negotiations.
The Palestinians want to found their state in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem -- lands occupied by Israel in a 1967 war. Before direct negotiations, Abbas has said he wants Israel to agree "in principle" to the idea that a third party will guard the borders of the new state.
Israel's government says the indirect talks are wasting time. It has criticized Abbas for setting conditions for the resumption of direct talks and says the Palestinians can bring all their issues to the negotiating table.
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and rightly so, how can you negotiate with a thief that has stolen your car ?.
next week there will be new excuses and new demands from abbas. First he can not deliver Second and foremost peace is not the objective abbas/pa/fatah/plo keeps saying that the liberation of ALL of Palestine is the objective
All parties must stop using the USA as a third party crutch and start dealing directly with each other. Peace can not be made by third parties. Confidence measures must be taken like a total stop to the continuing incitement to hate and a freeze on new settlement construction in the West Bank. We either LIVE in peace together or die in battle together . The choice is ours. I choose Forgiveness, respect, understanding and even SULHA! What do you choose?
Reiterating what I've recently expressed on here, it's of paramount importance for the interest of the Palestinians to formally, officially -- with UN as a notary -- agree on the final perimeters of the borders, before commencing onto direct talks. That way the talks will have a vital basis on which there's mutual agreement, and so they should be less complex. Abbas is doing the right thing, no doubt, and can continue that stance if the Arab league offers him support.
There have been far too many statements by Netanyahu indicating a commitment to settlers and continued presence of the IDF in a new Palestine. Abbas has put specific proposals on the table. Now Netanyahu must make specific proposals demonstrating good faith. It is time for Netanyahu to be courageous or continue pandering to zealots.
No negotiations with these morons. The arabs give nothing but lies and can never be trusted. Direct talks only between the arabs and Israel, otherwise start annexing Judea /Samaria and take over the land they lost by attacking us. Force the arabs to leave like they did to the Jews in arabs lands. No country ever complained about that.
This is why solutions with people like you don't come around. Bully boy,
and give them citizenship.
on second thought that may be the best situation. Diluted the already insane zionist gene pool may being some common sense to Israel.
... but he has to do it in a more measured way. From being tough with Netanyahu, the US turned around and started a charm offensive towards Israel aimed, I suppose, at Jewish American contributors in the coming Congressional elections. Abbas does not have such a strong influential ally as AIPAC and has to stand up for himself. This is a correct policy in principle. Example: Abbas initially demanded freezing ALL construction in West Bank and Jerusalem as condition for talks with Netanyahu, who does not appear ready for peace. That was a reasonable demand, supported by International law. The US prevailed upon Abbas to start indirect talks, which he agreed to. He cannot now turn around and agree to direct talks without some real progress in the indirect talks, or else he will lose more credit with his own Palestinian public. This Obama must understand, Congressional elections not withstanding. The question is, how much "real progress" is demanded. Abbas tends to exaggerate here, so he ends up getting nothing. In today's news, Abbas demands progress within ONE week. Way too fast for Netanyahu, and Abbas will end up with nothing.
and that sort of counters things. But It's Israel's benefit to have a supportive Palestinian public towards PA President Abbas and Fatah because the current stalemate without direct negotiations doesn't support Abbas. We're always waiting for what we perceive to be the best situation and there really isn't a better opportunity than now.
the Palestinian leadership has no interest in a final settlement that will end the fighting. They want to keep the violence going so their people will have someone to blame for all their ills and keep cronies like Abbas in power.
With this mentality, no solutions are possible.
No negotiations with these morons. The arabs give nothing but lies and can never be trusted. Direct talks only between the arabs and Israel, otherwise start annexing Judea /Samaria and take over the land they lost by attacking us. Force the arabs to leave like they did to the Jews in arabs lands. No country ever complained about that.
because otherwise it wouldn't look like the Likud-led government negotiated the peace process with the PA if it's endorsing the Kadima-led borders and peace proposal. It's all about internal politics within Israel. What have you got to lose except for your presidency and reputation?
an independent state of Palestine next to it. Very simple really. Bibi wants the IDF to control any future Palestine's borders with Jordan - what state would agree to that?
but Israel requires assurances on security for this border between Jordan and the state of Palestine. Any IDF presence would only be interpreted as a continuing Occupation. NATO or other international forces could ensure security. It's difficult to instill the concept of an end to the conflict if there isn't that independence from Israel. The key understanding already that the new Palestinian state would be demilitarized would also assist with security concerns.
Are they building nukes. Do they get $10b in aid for advanced military hardware. It seems to me it's Israel who wants to walk around with a big stick and play the big bully. There may be a lot of rhetoric and hot air from some Arab states, but Israel's heavy handed actions are the root cause for terrorism to thrive in the region. Plus, I get the impression that Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, and Syria are far more democratic the the Zionist State.
So who is he making peace with? the U S or Israel if the dumbo wants peace with Israel , shouldn't he discuss it with them?
Please due try to understand Abbas is being coerced to deal with Israel on its terms only. Thanks mainly to that Obama/AIPAC linkage.
then I thank our lucky STARS since when we coerce arabs to deal with Israel any other way?
How can you apply pressure on somebody that has nothing to gain from accepting and nothing to lose by rejecting them. What can the US do? withdraw support, and let the West Bank fall in Hamas's hands, or back on Israel's lap? Highly unlikely.
Abbas knows that if Israel ever really has to stop settlement construction the country will make a peace deal the next morning. That is because settlement construction is the only way to continue to build rightful, possessed Israeli land in the territories. If there really is ever to be no more construction, then why hold on to what you already have!? Sell it! So he is trying to hold Israel's feet to the fire on settlement construction. If there are peace negotiations, then of course Israel won't be building. Or will be building on agreed land. But if Abbas can push off the negotiations, then Israel will be driven full speed into the brick wall of the settlement freeze. And have to choose. And if Obama forces Israel to choose to maintain the freeze even without being in negotiations, then the whole game would be up. Abbas therefore has to push off the negotiations, to force Israel to fight with Obama over the settlement building. The last thing the big 'O' wants.
More informed people know that every single Jew was wiped out of the West Bank and East Jerusalem by Jordan, and that the preponderance of Jews live on the lands which were Jewish-owned prior to 1948. So, the "settlements" are really a ghost issue.
Obama has some tough decisions to make. Transitioning from proximity to direct talks cannot be done on Palestinian's backs. Netanyahu will cede nothing knowing fully well that Obama can't risk friction during election time. The best solution is to continue the proximity talks till Spetember, then have a 2 month review period for discussions which will include the quartet and middle east nations.
Both Netanyahu and Abbas are boxed in a corner and the gap is too wide for direct talks to work now. Netanyahu is unwilling or unable to follow Roadmap so that give PA freedom to declare a state but that would then put Obama to either back Israel or keep pressure on Iran.
its not fair to Jordan to miss out on the action of its relatives the Pals
Do you know why it's gone? The Arabs rejected it when it was on the table. Do you think you can buy a 1948 Cadillac for the same price it was available in 1948?
America has been pro-Israel for decades. America has provided weapons, money and political cover for Israel.. How is America going to lpay the role of fair broker in the peace process? it is a joke. Abbas is right to refuse to play in such a farce.
He can work with the US or he can go no where. There is no chance of an imposed settlement as long as one of the veto holders in the UN Security Council opposes. That is simply the reality of things.
How does that work for you, Nutallie?
Netanyahu was doing his part to stall peace, which made Abbas happy becuase it took that responsibility off of him, but the US but pressure on Bibi so the baton was passed back to Abbas, which of course made Netanyahu very happy. Now the pressure is building on Abbas, so soon he will have to pass off to Bibi to do his part to stall peace. What a dance, Fred and Ginger couldn't do as well.
...the Arabs. Demanding that one side commit to results before negotiations commence, especially since all core issues are related to one another, is indicative that the Arabs don't really wish to negotiate. Why? Because they know that in the negotiations Israel will insist that the Arabs must accept Israel's RIGHT to be - not only the fact that it is - to exist as the nation-state of the Jewish people, and accept a peace treaty as the "end of the conflict". Let us hope that the present US administration appreciate this reality...!!
is getting tiresome. Why shouldn't the US be the "nation state of Christian people"? Because it is ridiculous, that's why. Abbas already told you that you can call yourselves the "Hebrew Socialist Republic" for all he cares.
as the nation state of the Jewish people. Most of the world recognizes that fact as it is the founding premise of Israel as a country stated in virtually all international documents. It does not preclude equal rights for all her citizens. It does preclude the Arabs thinking that their war for the control of Israel doesn't end with a peace treaty so they can continue to attempt to over run Israel with so called refugees rather than resolve the issue concurent with the establishment of Palestine as the country for the refugees while recognizing Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people.
... why we did not do that. The separation of church and state are one of our keystones. Like Abbas, you are sidestepping the question: if it is not a big deal, then accept Israel on its terms. After all, there is the Islamic State of Afghanistan, the Islamic Republic of Iran, etc. I know why Abbas won't do it. Do you?