While the international community continues to woo PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) to return to the negotiating table, in essence, for the PA leader, like his Syrian colleague, the talks are ended and sitting around the table is little more than a show, to sign the agreement which he insists must be agreed to as a precondition to renewed talk.

Over the weekend, Abu Mazen expressed optimism, but also emphasized his position, Israeli agreement to withdraw to the pre-June 1967 boundaries and the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem serving as its capital prior to entering into talks.

Senior aides to Abu Mazen announced the PA leader is willing to accept the latest American effort renew mediated talks run by the United States, an offer placed on the table during the recent visit of US special Mideast envoy George Mitchell.

Officials in Jerusalem and the Prime Minister’s Office continue to release statements expressing a willingness to resume talks, unconditionally, rejecting Abu Mazen’s preconditions.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)