Obama calls for direct talks
President Obama called 'moderate' 'Palestinian' President US President Barack Obama urged the Palestinians to move to direct negotiations as soon as possible in a phone call with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday.But the real question is how much pressure Obama will put on Abu Mazen to enter into direct talks with Israel. My guess bet is none. And that Israel will be blamed for the eventual demise of the 'proximity talks.'
Obama said that the two sides need to “negotiate seriously and in good faith” and stressed his intention "to hold both sides accountable for actions that undermine trust during the talks,” according to a statement put out by the White House following the call.
The statement also noted that Obama looked forward to hosting Abbas at the White House in the near feature, making official a meeting reported for weeks to be in the works.
The administration has long sought direct negotiations between the two sides, but Obama nevertheless hailed the start of indirect talks and congratulated Abbas upon their launch. He also praised Abbas for reaching out to the Israeli people in a recent interview on Israel television and called on the Palestinian leader to do “everything he can” to prevent acts of incitement and delegitimization of Israel.
What could go wrong?
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:22 AM
2 Comments:
Of course Israel will bear the blame and I think this was the plan from the beginning. Look at the conditions: Israel has to stop building in eastern Jerusalem. And the Palestinians? Only Abbas has to "try to stop incitement". Not stop it, just try. This is a setup.
Carl- exactly, the Palestinians don't even have to negotiate.
And you thought there was no double standard, right? Oy vey!
What could go wrong indeed
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