PA (Palestinian Authority) Chairman Abu Mazen (Abbas) announced on Thursday, 28 Adar that there is no chance of reaching the so-called two state solution with Israel for as long as Binyamin Netanyahu is prime minister. He accuses the Netanyahu administration of being less than genuine regarding peace with the PA.

Abu Mazen did not waste any time jumping on the band wagon to capitalize on the negative statements released by the White House. US President Barak Obama’s best efforts to portray the prime minister in a negative light failed throughout his second term and Mr. Netanyahu has been reelected, for a fourth term. The president has focused his post-election remarks on Mr. Netanyahu’s statements expressing concerns over the unprecedented Israeli Arab turnout at the polls and his turnaround statement that he will not permit the establishment of the State of Palestine on his watch. The US administration has already began threatening that it will have to reevaluate its position regarding to backing Israel in the UN and other forms of aid.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said President Obama still believes in a two-state solution. This was after Netanyahu, shortly before the vote, reversed his stance and stated he would not allow the creation of a Palestinian state.

Earnest added the United States would have to “reevaluate” its position on the Israeli-PA conflict in light of those comments. Administration officials add the president will continue pressuring for implementation of the two-state solution.

Abu Mazen took his cue and is already blaming Israel [once again] for the failure in the negotiating process. It is also pointed out that immediately following closure of the polls, before the final tabulation was announced, Abu Mazen’s senior negotiator, Dr. Saeb Erekat announced the PA was going to move ahead and file its case against Israel in the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)