Abbas: Netanyahu hasn't changed since last stint as PM

17: "Abbas and WBank Nation have never had any sovereign possession of any land whatsoever and have nothing to concede." Sovereignty has always resided with the Palestinians, 17. The entire point of the Mandate was that the Mandatory **administered** that sovereignty *in* *trust* until such time as they were able to exercise it themselves. That these people have been unable to declare that they want that sovereignty to find expression in "a sovereign state" has left them "stateless", but it has not stripped them of their sovereignty. Nothing since 1948 has changed that equation, because both Jordan and Israel have been OCCUPIERS, and occupation brings with it **authority**, not **sovereignty**. The Palestinians are the sovereigns of this territory and Netanyahu CAN NOT STRIP that from them; he can only hold them in a headlock until they AGREE TO CEDE IT TO HIM. They don't agree, and they never will.

it also seems that someone(like maybe the u.s.), has tried to lead him to believe the snake ISN'T a snake...which can't be too convincing when the snake hisses its willingness to pursue peace, but then continues right on slithering about in pursuit of its snaky little expansionist objectives. snakes never change; they just shed their skins periodically to give themselves a shiny new appearance.

Sir, Arab state has never been claimed by the local Arabs as per 181/1947 - within deadline (or anytime after it). Whatever territory is occupied by Israel or PA legally belongs to nobody and as such should be divided. There is no international legality applicable to the situation, since, as you know all international laws applicable to the states - and there is no known state in the territory of Judea and Samaria.

I cannot think you are correct 17. The UN decided in 1948 that the mandated state of Palestine between the river and the sea should be divided into two states, one in Western Palestine, one in Eastern Palestine. The fact that one has been occupied from the outset, firstly by Jordan, then by Israel, does not alter in law its full entitlement to the rights and status of an independent nation state. The idea that, because Israel holds it under belligerent occupation and refuses to leave, the state somehow loses that entitlement and Israel can dictate the terms of nationhood, would not last a minute in court. The belligerent occupier is required by law to respect and develop the civil institutions and is not permitted to settle its people in an occupied territory. Israel is not only breaking every rule in the book, it is making up new rules that are simply illegal and fake in international law.

You know why Netanyahu got elected? Because he is who he is. Clearly, this is what the people want.

"Abbas is not being asked to compromise on some things, he`s being asked to concede everything (and recognize Israel as a Jewish state to boot)." r cummings Sir, Abbas and WBank Nation have never had any sovereign possession of any land whatsoever and have nothing to concede. They are offered the first state in their (nonexistent) history commensurate with their demography and political posture. Hopefully Turkey, Iran and Iran would make a similar offer to the real Kurdish Nation living on the same land for 3000 years.

That would account for the electorate voting for him again. (Except of course Livni topped the poll).

Has Abbas changed? Still has the same agenda- Israel's destruction. The Fatah Charter is still the same. Pals rejected any idea of Jewish State existence since it's legal creation. World should learn the History of its establishment and its struggle for survival.

Abbas has got himslef neatly wedged between the US and Israel. The US gives hims money and Israel takes away territory. Instead of depending on popular mass struggles, Fatah and Abbas choose to travel between imperial capitals pleading their case. There have been no bombings or attacks for two years and Israel merily expands settlements and uses Abbas to crush popular uprisings like the Vichy regime in France.

To an outsider it is totally amazing that the Palestinians have put up with all this crap from Israel for so long. Surely they must come out and fight. And the world will cheer.

If he was close to a deal with Olmert then he must regret his lack of leadership for refusing the offer at that time. It is probably why Natanyahou was elected, because the pals refused everything.

I supported the "New Nixon" who ran in 1968. I discovered he was just the Old Nixon repackaged. Abbas has discovered the same about the 'New Netanyahu." Hang them up Abbas. You and any hope of peace are finished. You have no need of boxing gloves and Hamas who will step into the ring has a bare-knuckle style.

after all that is what makes Hamas so appealing to the Palestinian voter.

The only thing that hasn't changed the last years is Mr Abbas him self . Oh and that their still is no peace. We have had all kind of israeli PM's, with all kind of ideas, but nothing was good enough for Mr Abbas. One should think if not Mr Abbas him self is the problem.

Netanyahu and coalition are not prepared or indeed able to concede ANYTHING. Not on settlements, not on Jerusalem, not on ROR, not on PA sovereignty, not on military control of the WB or JV, not on water. Nothing. Because they are all key components of the Likud and rightist dream - which they see as an increasingly attainable goal - of a Greater Israel. If Bibi showed any flexibility, his right wing supporters would anyway be on him like a ton of bricks. Abbas is not being asked to compromise on some things, he's being asked to concede everything (and recognize Israel as a Jewish state to boot). In return for nothing except repressed Bantustan status for the Pals, which they already have. Time for Abbas to stand up and tell the world plainly that Israel's total intransigence on all points rules out any possibility of productive talks. And pass the parcel to Obama and the EU to chew on. Obama and

two flawed individuals with weak support at home that history has put on the stage and they are both stalling. all they have to do is agree to sit and talk and those two would jump into the history books and get nobel prizes. encourage them, whatever your political belief. talking is the only way to get out of the log jam.

And, for better or worse, I think he will be.

I really think M.Abbas is not in his sound mind. He is going to give Natanyahu one more chance and if not there is a possibility of a third intifada? He knows darn well that the only result of another intifada will be few more thousand dead Palestinians, and maybe another Goldstone report if the International rules on war are not changed by then.

Who cares? If he can't call an election in Gaza he is a useless leader. If he can't organise the return of Gilad Shalit, this fact says the same thing. Don't blame him for wanting to retire but it isn't because of the settlements or Bibi. He is just a useless leader.

Suspicious, my foot. Netanyahu should just ignore this impotent puppet Abbas, who has no credibility. Abbas is finished, finished. I mean, he's very finished. (Thanks Olivia)

"Abbas and his associates ... apparently believe that everything that happens in Jerusalem takes place with Netanyahu's approval and under his instructions." Anytime Israelis incite violence at the Haram Al Sharif, you can bet your bottom dollar it is a smokescreen to hide something else Israel has planned, like further expansion of Israeli settlers or the IDF into the West Bank, taking over more property in East Jerusalem, etc. Netanyahu knows what he is working toward, and it isn't peace.

When Olmert was PM, Abbas didn't give him any credit for offering to give back some 95% of the West Bank. Now he does. Eventually, Netanyahu (or one of his successors) will be replaced by someone to Netanyahu's left. Having seen the possibilities for peace under a hawkish PM, the Abbas (or the PA under someone else) may recognize the possibilities for peace. By offering them less now, we can make them compromise later.

"Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is deeply suspicious of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and is losing faith in his intentions to reach a peace agreement," Well, it is about time! Netanyahu has never wanted a peace unless it left Israel in total control of Palestine. In other words, he wants no change in the status quo. Maybe the Palestinian President and the Israeli PM will now leave off all this BS and get down to the nitty gritty. A little honesty would help immensely.

"I know Netanyahu is pragmatic and everyone tells me he has changed," Abbas reportedly told the officials recently. After his speech where he described a Palestinian state that was neither sovereign nor independent, Abbas should have realized that Netanyahu had no intention of making peace on any terms anyone reasonable would expect. Abbas - If Netanyahu is not willing to tell Israelis they cannot have it all, there is no hope of negotiating peace with him. As for elections, do you really think Netanyahu is going to allow East Jerusalemites to vote or have campaigns? Do you really think he's going to allow all parties to campaign? Do you think Gazans will be allowed to campaign in the West Bank? or West Bankers allowed to travel to Gaza to campaign and then return?

Let's just say it as it is: What a monumental waste of time and effort. Clearly things are headed toward another uprising, and that is something Israel is clearly willing to accept so that it can just keep on taking over.

Don't worry though the U.S. herd still BELIEVES anything Bibi says. Most importantly the U.S. congress understands double speak and double think and knows exactly what is really being done and would probably be Likud members themselves if they could....PEACE EVER?

Not only is Bibi one of the least trusted MK's by Israelis but there is no possibility of Israel withdrawing 500,000 of it's citizens from East Jerusalem or from Judea and Sameria. There would be a civil war. If the Palestinian Arabs could get their own house in order instead of being divided, they may have a chance. Bibi is pragmatic enough to know that there are enourmous benefits talking about some of the conditions needed for a Palestinian State, but such a State will not happen soon. After Gaza became a rocket launching pad, the Arabs know thst Israel is once bitten, twice shy. As soon as the Arabs gain control of Judea and Sameria it will become militarised with rockets.

Everybody in Israel knows that a big chunk of the settlement block will be gone and even Jerusalem, the arab quarter will be open to negotiations and very likely be part of a palestinian state....even Bibi knows that!! But who made them, and why palestinian leaders keep believing (and even if they don't) make the palestinian people believe that all "East Jerusalem" will be returned, the 1949 borders, the right of return, Israel not a "jewish state", and so on....and those are the "fatah moderate views" ....what about Hamas....still with the cheap talk of finishing the "zionist entity" and a palestinian state from the mediterranean sea to the jordan river !! It is time to mature, to take responsibility for words and actions, and promise what you really can deliver !! The more hamas you elect, the more Lieberman's you elect too!! And remember: Israel is not going away and Palestinian's, regrettably, they still have an "almost state"

"....he missed former prime minister Ehud Olmert, with whom he had "almost closed a deal...." That's the "almost" story of the Palestinian leaders....when it is time to close a deal there is always some "if's and but's".... Arafat "almost" closed a deal with Ehud Barak and then missed him when Sharon was the prime.... Now Abbas "almost" closed a deal with another Ehud but...now he missed him....when another hawk is elected by a nation fed up with the "almost palestinian leaders" Is there an "almost" pattern here ???? The day a palestinian leader will learn how to compromise, take risks and make decisions on behalf of their people...that would be the day they will stop having an "almost state"

or from any other Israeli leaders, no one want to give you anything I think you should focus on economy till you get a real partner who is welling to make real paece treaty with you.

...the longer Bibi drags his feet, the greater chance of a US abstention at a UNSC session; most likely a resolution about the Goldstone Report. Until Israel faces its only existential threat, the illegal colonists, Israel will never be a true member of the family of nations and it will be viewed through the lens of suspicion. It's so dad really, Israel could avoid all this strife and violence and have peace and security and recognition if it would only comply with the rule of law. It's not rocket science. And here's the money shot, once Israel makes peace, if it is attacked again, it will be able to react like hell hath no fury and the world will not bat an eye. Because for the first time in decades of Israel's history, it would not be attacking captive, occupied people. Free people are not going to be resisting for there will no longer be anything to resist.

People had no faith in PM Olmert's negotiations with President Abbas. The problems were within Olmert's administration and less between the two leaders. What to make of Netanyahu then? Well, it remains to be seen as to what he now proposes as an interim agreement between Israel and the PA. What his government would look like? Would it capsulate the understandings reached between PM Olmert and President Abbas? How long is an interim agreement for until the Palestinian state is actually established? When would other Palestinian factions join into the agreement? We've had interim agreements but if it's a year's duration or so, then it's actually President Obama's plan from the beginning because that's what he said he'd like to see.

Had Abbas agreed to a deal he would have been assassinated the same month and he knows it. There is no risk saying so. Moreover, it helps score cheap political points in a tennis match against Bibi refereed by the clueless Obama administration.

Can you believe this guy? He rejects the most generous deal he will ever get and now wants a do-over: if not, there will be a "third intifadeh." If there is, Abbas, old boy, there will never be a PA state, and many thousands will die. Is it worth it?

HA HA HA..HEE HEEE HEEEEE

The Fatah flunkies are grasping for more excuses to avoid the real issue: The Palestinians are a house divided and couldn't sign a peace treaty if they wanted to. What's it going to be? Fatahland in the west bank and Hamastan in Gaza? Israel can't sign a peace treaty with Abbas, because he does not represent the Palestinian people. It's as simple, and sad, as that.

The Fatah flunkies are grasping for more excuses to avoid the real issue: The Palestinians are a house divided and couldn't sign a peace treaty if they wanted to. What's it going to be? Fatahland in the west bank and Hamastan in Gaza? Israel can't sign a peace treaty with Abbas, because he does not represent the Palestinian people. It's as simple, and sad, as that.