Last week Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu called on PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) to take a bold step, inviting him to Knesset. The prime minister expressed his willingness to visit Ramallah as well in an effort to advance peace efforts.

The PA leader called Mr. Netanyahu’s bluff, announcing his willingness to come to address Knesset under the condition “I can say what I want and not what Prime Minister Netanyahu tells me to say”.

Speaking with the Voice of Russia the PA leader explained “The Israeli leader want to say such and such and [he] places conditions before me. I do not accept conditions. I am willing to go there and say what I have to say, not what he wants me to say.”

The PA leader added that during his upcoming visit to Russia he plans to address the ongoing diplomatic talks with Israel as well as taking steps to improve PA relations with Moscow.

When asked about the PA’s status in the United Nations, Abu Mazen indicated there are no immediate plans to address membership status, adding he relies on the nations of the world to boost the PA’s status, concluding that in the future the PA may request membership instead of its current observer status.

MK (Ra’am-Ta’al) Dr. Ahmed Tibi said “There is no chance that the president of Palestine will visit Knesset. To my sorrow this will not occur. When Sadat came to Knesset it was amid an understanding that Egyptian land in Sinai would be returned, to the list millimeter. Abu Mazen will not be coming for as long as there is no agreement and for as long as Netanyahu continues to demand Abu Mazen recognize the Jewish state, so therefore, the invitation is pointless for it is not going to happen.”

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(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)