As PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) continues to defy White House gestures towards advancing the negotiations between Israel and the PA (Palestinian Authority), a troubled US President Barak Obama is seeking ways to save his peace initiative, which many feel is the diversion needed to show Americans a success amid the many failures of the Obama administration. Since the magical ceremony on the White House lawn on September 13, 1993 which included US President Bill Clinton, Yasser Arafat YS”VZ, Shimon Peres and Yitzchak Rabin, the signing of the Oslo Agreement that has brought terror to Israel, subsequent US leaders continue to strive for such a politically noble and envious event.

The talks have all but ended between Israel and the PA as Abu Mazen is unwilling to make any concessions, now threatening with unilateral actions amid rumors Israel may not carry out the fourth and final terrorist release.

From Israel’s point of view, at least a small number of cabinet ministers who have commented, the release of additional terrorists is absurd for as long as the PA exhibits a total unwillingness towards any compromise.

Two remaining options include turning up the pressure on Israel to make a deal and simultaneously seeking to find creative ways to bait Israel into agreeing to the former. Hence we have rumors once again that Israeli willingness to sell out its interests may be linked to America releasing Jonathan Pollard, the Yisrael Hayom newspaper reports.

Clearly US Secretary of State John Kerry is in over his head, clueless to Mideast realities and having nothing tangible to offer. While Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon has apologized to Kerry at least twice, it is clear that the secretary of state is an unwanted high-level guest who is viewed as all too willing to sell Israeli security and defense interests down the tubes in the hope of reaching a deal with the PA. Ya’alon commented publically that Kerry’s absurd notion of placing cameras to protect the Jordan Valley is confirmation the senior US emissary clearly lacks a basic understanding of Mideast realities, including anti-Israel terrorism.

59-year-old Pollard was recently hospitalized and underwent surgery. Reports from the US state his overall health continues to decline. Back in his healthier days Pollard stated on more than one occasion that he would not agree to a release that involved the release of terrorists with blood on their hands to gain his freedom.

As was the case during the Clinton administration and the Wye Plantation talks, the trial balloon has been floated and the Pollard word has come up to test the waters – to see if President Obama is open to such a possibility to save his Mideast peace imitative. Obama to date has been unwilling to permit Pollard to move to Israel as he wishes to do.

Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, who heads the Israeli negotiating team, has been conspicuously quiet as she failed to deliver the goods despite her left-wing ideology and a willingness to give it all away. The PA however, as was the case over recent years, continues to receive terrorist prisoner releases and other perks, such as donor nation funding, simply for breathing, while do nothing to advance peace or curtail Arab based terror. In fact, Abu Mazen is a figurehead at best, as was seen when Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh ousted him from Gaza and assuming control in the coup. While Abu Mazen is the poster boy for peace, willing to appear in a suit and tie, he lacks the ability to control PA areas and even if an agreement were to be signed, Hamas’ continuing popularity throughout Yehuda and Shomron is what concerns Israel, aware that Abu Mazen’s administration in Yehuda and Shomron may share the same fate as his Gaza government did.

Nevertheless, the Pollard issue is once again in the news and one can only daven that Yonassan ben Malka will see the light of day, in good health, while the convicted Arab terrorists remain behind lock and key where they belong.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)