Wednesday
Dec312008
Gaza Update: Palestinian Authority Threatens Suspension of Peace Talks
Wednesday, December 31, 2008 at 21:59
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has condemned the Israeli military operations against Gaza:
The most important obligation is to rally the forces, nationally and regionally, to end the barbaric and criminal Israeli aggression against our people in the Gaza Strip.
Abbas has threatened to pull out of the protracted talks with Israel over a two-state settlement.
Now, this is the same Mahmoud Abbas who spoke with George Bush yesterday, just before the White House rejected an immediate cease-fire and implied it had the support of Egypt and the Palestinian Authority.
So is the Palestinian Authority genuinely siding with Hamas, despite its political rivalry with that organisation, and the Gazan population against the Israeli attacks? Or are Abbas and his advisors displaying a public face of Palestinian unity while privately accepting the US line and thus the continued Israeli operations?
Speculation: the Palestinian Authority realises it is on a tightrope with its own base of supporters in the West Bank and, while it has no love lost for Hamas, is going to have to distance itself from Washington the longer the Israeli attacks continue.
The most important obligation is to rally the forces, nationally and regionally, to end the barbaric and criminal Israeli aggression against our people in the Gaza Strip.
Abbas has threatened to pull out of the protracted talks with Israel over a two-state settlement.
Now, this is the same Mahmoud Abbas who spoke with George Bush yesterday, just before the White House rejected an immediate cease-fire and implied it had the support of Egypt and the Palestinian Authority.
So is the Palestinian Authority genuinely siding with Hamas, despite its political rivalry with that organisation, and the Gazan population against the Israeli attacks? Or are Abbas and his advisors displaying a public face of Palestinian unity while privately accepting the US line and thus the continued Israeli operations?
Speculation: the Palestinian Authority realises it is on a tightrope with its own base of supporters in the West Bank and, while it has no love lost for Hamas, is going to have to distance itself from Washington the longer the Israeli attacks continue.
tagged Gaza, Hamas, Israel, Mahmoud Abbas, Palestine in Middle East & Iran
Gaza, Hamas, Israel, Mahmoud Abbas, Palestine in Middle East & Iran
Reader Comments (2)
Some in Hamas are saying that Fatah reaching out is a possible plot to reveal Hamas commanders' locations. In other words, when Hamas comes to talk to Fatah, they meet not Fatah but an Israeli missile. (MEMRI has the exchange)
UJ,
Can you give me the link for the MEMRI exchange?
Thanks,
S.