Israel Matzav

US: Abu Mazen 'drunk with power'

Yediot reports that 'moderate' 'Palestinian' President Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazen's speech on Saturday night, in which he vowed to go for broke at the United Nations, angered 'American officials.'

Meanwhile, the Americans are enraged in wake of Abu Mazen’s speech, and said that the PA Chairman has broken their agreements by deciding to go for broke at the UN. “Abu Mazen is drunk with power,” said sources in Washington. “All that interests him is getting into the history books, and he could care less that his people will pay the price.” The Quartet also understands that Abu Mazen has climbed on to a high branch, from which he will have a hard time descending, and are therefore seeking to lower expectations as they begin negotiations today to find some compromise formula that both Israel and the Palestinians will find acceptable. That said, Israel predicts that the Americans will be able to consolidate a blocking majority in the UN Security Council and that this will constitute a major blow to Abu Mazen. Senior sources in the White House said that efforts were now being directed at the days following the vote, in order to ensure that negotiations between the parties could continue even if the Palestinians achieve success in the UN.

Well, if you keep giving him everything he wants and don't punish him when he misbehaves, what do you expect?

Meanwhile, Israel's response is becoming clearer.

Meanwhile, the Israeli response to the Palestinian move appears to be becoming clearer: today Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon will arrive at the donor countries’ conference that is taking place in New York, where he will make it clear that the Palestinians’ unilateral action will close the door to negotiations and affect economic relations. This is an implied threat that a vote in the UN General Assembly could cause Israel to stop the transfer of tax money that it collects for the PA. This is an amount between NIS 3 billion to NIS 5.5 billion per annum, without which the Palestinian Authority will be unable to function. Some members of the forum of eight, including Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz, support such a move; however, there are voices in the IDF that warn of the repercussions of non-payment of salaries to the Palestinian police officers who will be required to suppress riots against Israel.

Netanyahu himself will leave for New York on Tuesday and will meet with Obama on Wednesday. As of now, the American president has not scheduled a meeting with Abu Mazen, and Israel believes that this is a distinct rebuff to the Palestinians. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman left last night for Canada and the United States, where he is expected to hold a series of talks with foreign ministers at the UN and campaign for the rejection of the Palestinian initiative. Defense Minister Ehud Barak also left for Washington last night, for a diplomatic and defense related trip that will include meetings with US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, CIA Director David Petraeus and other senior defense and intelligence officials. Barak is expected to return to Israel upon Netanyahu’s arrival at New York, but not before he also attempts to strengthen opposition to the Palestinian initiative.

That's all well and good, but what do you think the chances are that the US will not pressure Israel not to crack down on the 'Palestinians'?

By the way, did the Americans really refer to him as Abu Mazen and not as 'Abbas'? That would be progress.

Labels: Abu Mazen, Palestinian state RIGHT NOW syndrome, Unilateral declaration of independence (UDI)

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:07 PM