PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) traveled to Cairo where he met with Arab League officials seeking a response, the league’s position regarding America’s latest offer to the PA, to return to the negotiating table with Israel.
Abu Mazen is a weak leader, with waning support, prompting his move to seek Arab League backing before making a move that may deliver the final blow to oust him from office.
More than a few people fear that combined American and Israeli interests in keeping Abu Mazen in office, the lesser of evils as compared to Hamas, has sabotaged a deal with Hamas to bring Gilad Shalit home. There have been numerous reports that the White House has called on Israel to nix a deal with Hamas, fearing it would spell the downfall of Abu Mazen. A prisoner release deal would significantly boost Hamas’ growing support and result in the demise of Abu Mazen.
In the meantime, the Arab League has recommended that Abu Mazen return to the negotiating table for a four-month period, no longer. It is indeed a wise move since it is obvious from the get go that no agreement will be hammered out in four months, following which Israel will be blamed for another failed attempt.
Arab League officials are signaling they are not optimistic regarding the likelihood of reaching agreement with the Netanyahu administration, which actually makes sense since in the previous administrations of Ehud Barak and Ehud Olmert, when well over 95% of Yehuda and Shomron were offered on silver platter, the PA declined.
In any event, the decision by the league at present represents an opinion or perhaps advice by the steering committee and not a policy decision. Not all members of the league support the move, including Syria, with Damascus remaining opposed.
Abu Mazen will now bring this back to Ramallah and the final decision will be made by PLO and Fatah leadership in the coming days.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
One Response
So as usual this is just a ruse by the Arab League to try and make Israel look as bad as possible when the Arabs demand yet more concessions for more terrorism against Israel which they falsly call “peace”.