A report by Ynet quoting a senior unnamed Palestinian Authority official states PA officials are monitoring events in Israel surrounding the expanding investigation surrounding alleged illegal activities by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

PA officials fear that if Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni assumes the mantel of leadership, her government would be weak and fragile, drawing an analogy to the split in the PA, with PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) of Fatah overseeing Yehuda and Shomron and Prime Minister Ismail Haniyah and Hamas running affairs in Gaza.

The “source” expressed fears that any progress made in negotiations with Israel at this point may be a waste of time considering the realities facing the prime minister.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)