Israel Matzav

Whose wishful thinking?

Haaretz cites 'senior officials' in Prime Minister Netanyahu's office who claim that 'negotiations' with the 'Palestinians' are likely to resume this month.

The officials said that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was to meet at the beginning of next week with PA President Mahmoud Abbas to present his agreements with Netanyahu on conditions for reopening talks and to pressure Abbas to return to the table.

According to the officials, most of the efforts to jump-start the talks are being made by Mubarak in conjunction with the United States. During Netanyahu's talks on Tuesday with Mubarak in Cairo, the prime minister discussed with Mubarak his agreements with the United States on conditions for opening talks with the Palestinians. A senior official said that Netanyahu "had not gone with new positions, but with ideas to renew talks."

If Haaretz is right, Netanyahu has come under the influence of his Left: Defense Minister Ehud Barak and President Shimon Peres.

Netanyahu has frequently met in recent weeks with Defense Minister Ehud Barak and President Shimon Peres about the peace process. The two have been urging Netanyahu to move ahead, even if this means responding to some Palestinian demands.

Netanyahu apparently told Mubarak that Israel had agreed to discuss with the PA all the core issues, including Jerusalem and refugees. Israel has also apparently agreed to a preliminary two-year timetable for the talks and to express a commitment to previous agreements.

Hopefully, 'previous agreements' doesn't include Ehud Olmert's ridiculous offers to Abu Mazen.

Fortunately, Abu Mazen doesn't seem to have gotten the message.

The secular Fatah movement led by Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Thursday vowed to step up its struggle against the Israeli occupation with demonstrations and diplomacy.

"Our programme emphasises the importance of a two-track approach, with the first being the escalation of the popular struggle to resist occupation," the movement said in a statement.

The group said it would model the struggle on the weekly demonstrations in two West Bank towns, Bilin and Nilin, where residents hurl rocks and protest against the expansion of Israel's controversial separation barrier.

Fatah, which marks the 45th anniversary of the start of its armed struggle on Friday, also vowed to "increase movement on the international level to pursue Israel, to isolate it and to force it to answer to international law."

"We renew our vow to continue the struggle until the end of the occupation and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, with east Jerusalem as its capital, and a solution to the refugee issue," it said.

Fatah went on to say that it "would not spare any effort in restoring Palestinian national unity and returning the Gaza Strip from the hands of those who have taken it hostage," referring to its Hamas rivals.

Doesn't sound very peaceful, does it?

By the way, that article goes on to say that Fatah was founded in the 1950's and began its 'armed struggle' on January 1, 1965. And you thought there was no 'occupation' then, didn't you?

So whose wishful thinking is it that we're going to have 'negotiations'? Haaretz's? Netanyahu's? I'd bet all of the above.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:56 PM