PMO: Olmert-Abbas meeting canceled at Palestinian request

out the money in bits and pieces.Abbas has to plan how to allocate the monies and he has to know in advance what is actually being given,not vague promises.

When Fatah & Hamas shoot at each other? It must be a brotherly gesture of love. Palestinian's brought the situation on themselves, they listed to leaders promising that would be able to steal the Jewish state. Problems started long before 1948, goes back to at least 1920 when Arabs attacked Tel Hai, continued with the Arab Riots in 1929 & 1936, when the killed & raped Jews of Hebron. That followed with war in 1948, you know, the one that Arab Armies ganged up Israel, then proceed to 1956, 1967 & 1973. Poor guys, you lost each and every time. Then the Intifada's, homicide bombings, Kassam rockets, and the list goes on. Now, you can see, if you open your eyes, who the terrorists are, they're you guys. Better yet, learn a bit, look up "Wikipedia's TIMELINES OF ISRAEL ARAB CONFLICT", you'll see you caused the problems and are your own worst enemies.

And Israel told them to jump in the lake so the Palestinians cancelled the meeting. Read the Palestinian posts on this site and you would think it's the Palestians giving the orders to Israelis. They are living in denial of reality. They have been trained to believe that the end of Israel is coming tomorrow and they still believe it.

"Maniac aggressions against helpless Palestinians". Heh, and you take yourself seriously? "Maniac aggressions" by targetting by and large militants carrying weapons and launching rockets and making bombs. "Helpless Palestinians" who have received much assistance politically, economically, and militarily from many individuals, groups, and countries. What's next on your Propaganda-To-Spew list?

While I agree with your point at my old age I remember and old Turkish saying that goes - A sharp vinegar harms its own cup - (Bad translation I guess). As force is being used against terror organizations such as hamas and Hizbullah some innocents also are being harmed hence more hate is being developped against Israel. There must be a none military way to weaken Hamas. This option should be developped and imlemented no matter how difficult it is. Finally Onur please vote in the elections to bring change to the future of Turkey.

Abbas is not asking Israel To give Something in return,Rather asking The state Terror "Israel" to stop it's maniac aggression against the helpless palestinians.

Good move for Israel--otherwise olmert might do something stupid like transfer money to the PA. Makes more sense to cut off the water and electric. I will be in Ashdod this summer and I do not like knowing that Hamas has 20 km missles, capable of reaching Ashdod. No other country in the world would tolerate this situation.

You're absolutely correct. This is the same old same old from Abbas. And it's pretty silly of him to pull the same antics and and lay blame somewhere else. However, I do think that since the PLO account that Fayad or whoever set up recently is now able to receive monetary transfers to bypass Hamas, that Israel should just start funneling the PA taxes to it. But try and get them monitored so the funds are actually bypassing Hamas. This is Israel's only obligation at the moment. And sooner or later they are going to have to fork over the money. Might as well just do it now while the issue is in front of many world and especially European leaders. This way if the Palestinians make a booboo, Israel can just turn to those leaders and demand an explanation from them.

You're absolutely correct. This is the same old same old from Abbas. And it's pretty silly of him to pull the same antics and and lay blame somewhere else. However, I do think that since the PLO account that Fayad or whoever set up recently is now able to receive monetary transfers to bypass Hamas, that Israel should just start funneling the PA taxes to it. But try and get them monitored so the funds are actually bypassing Hamas. This is Israel's only obligation at the moment. And sooner or later they are going to have to fork over the money. Might as well just do it now while the issue is in front of many world and especially European leaders.

How can Olmert decide how much of the witheld taxes will he release to the Palestinians. Is it his money? If there is a chanel for transferring 50% of the money, there is a chanel for the rest. Withholding money entrusted to you is a theft. Abbas is incurring a political risk if he comes out from a meeting with the Israelis empty handed. Abbbas is Israel's chanel to moderate Palestinians. It is in Israel's interest (if it wants peace?!) to strenghten his hands. It's all about economy. Whichever side within Palestine can show more concern and achievement in relieving the economic burden of the population, will gain more popularity. But what am I talking about? Who cares about political moves in Israel? It is all in the hands of the army that dictates every political move. Olmert cannot do anything without the approval of the army which uses the excuse of security to block any political progress. And is this still called a democracy?

Like accepting the Road Map, but with 22 pre-conditions tacked on first? Or agreeing to a cease fire, but only after 7 days of quiet?

This is the oldest trick in the book: When a buyer is rebuffed for his counter-offer in the open-air markets of the Arab MidEast, the next move is to start walking away, trying to force the seller to call you back, pleading with you to accept the goods, at a compromise price. This is exactly what's happening here, everyone know it, everyone understands it, Abbas is turning away, expecting Olmert to call him back, pleading to accept a better price, so the meeting can go ahead. Abbas would have been laughed-at if he didn't pull this stunt, which arabs are all too familiar with in their day-to-day experiences.

How can Abbas meet Olmert on Thursday, when on Wednesday the IDF arbitrarily killed an unarmed elderly Palestinian man of 67, and wounded 7 family members, including the elderly wife and mother who is in a serious condition? Whether or not Abbas himself fears a bullet-in-the-head from his brethren is not the issue. First and foremost he is responsible to his people, and he also happens to be a decent empathetic leader towards them.

Nothing Abbas says or does is of any importance. He is totally irrelevent, a politician of zero achievements, front man for thieves, thugs, & terrorists, an optical illusion for idiot politicians propping up a failed policy of "supporting nonexistent moderates", an international beggar conning Europeans for aid money which disappears into the bottomless pit of corruption & mismanagement. What can he deliver? Nothing.

"It is unrealistic that Abu Mazen [Abbas] push for the Palestinian factions to cease Qassam rocket fire, and for Israel to give nothing in return." Question: What do the Pals offer to the world for joining the civilized "world? Answer: Market of terror. "Pay me for trying to stop Quassams."

Readers must be getting lots of laughs from #3's post. He takes the consistent, insidious Israeli attitude, then attributes it to Abbas. Perhaps Abbas is really an Israeli in disguise. Or better still, Abbas may be taking lessons from the Americans, who huff and puff, and sanctimoniously make demands.

the two are useless and nothing positive will happen in the region until they both step down. in the meantime they are causing a lot of negative things - very negative !

Typical Palestinian attitude. We will make demands, you will meet them absolutely before we meet for your to agree to them in person. We will not disucss them or allow them to be the starting point for negotiation. If you do not agree wholely before we meet receive your agreement in person I will refuse to meet with you and tell the BBC you refused my peace overtures. And so the cycle of Palestinian intransigence continues. Well done Abbas, well done.

The meeting would not produce results, which means it would not be helpful, and if not helpful, than, potentionally, unhelpful. There are channels to prepare the meeting. They should be explored. The issue of tax revenues is indeed important one and if mechanism is found to pass this money so that it would be possible to be sure, that not a penny of this money goes to weapons or to wages for terrorists, either of Hamas or Fatah, than Israel should simply transfer this money, not 50% and not 90% but all of it. So, let them decide by their channels how the money can be transferred.

It works with Israel,pals break existing agreements and get extra goodies for complying for a couple of months at most

Instead of pressuring on Israel, He should urge Israel under the table to harm the infrastructure of islamist enemy organisation in Gaza so he will take advantage of defeating islamists and blow deadly strike on them. Otherwise he might lose control in Gaza, beacuse islamists seem powerful in Gaza

Abbas by meeting with Israel and making conciliatory gestures to Israel will further weaken his already feeble position within a Palestinian territories that is looking to shed Israeli blood, and might be rewarded for his efforts by getting a bullet in his head. So he cancels the Olmert meeting, blaming Israel for their failure to bla bla bla.