Israel Matzav

Abu Bluff threatening to 'walk out' of talks he's never been in

'Moderate' 'Palestinian' President Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazen is threatening to 'walk out' of talks with Israel over a 'two-state solution' if there is no 'progress' by January 26. As usual, 'progress' is defined as Israel giving the unelected 'Palestinian leader' everything he wants, while the 'Palestinians' give nothing in return. And there really have not been any 'talks' from which the 'Palestinians' might walk out.

PA President Mahmoud Abbas told Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store that the Palestinians are prepared to resume direct peace negotiations with Israel once the Israeli government halts construction in the settlements and east Jerusalem and accepts the two-state solution.

A PA official in Ramallah said that Abbas briefed the Norwegian minister on the outcome of the last two meetings in Amman between PLO and Israeli officials.

According to the official, Abbas stressed that unless Israel accepted the two Palestinian demands, he would not agree to the resumption of the direct talks.

Ah yes, Jonas Gahr Store, the perfect mediator.

Abbas said that the talks in Jordan would continue with the hope of narrowing the gap between the two sides before January 26, when the three-month deadline set by members of the Quartet expires.

Last September, the Quartet, which consists of the US, EU, UN and Russia, gave the two sides three months to come forth with proposals that would pave the way for the resumption of the direct negotiations.

Well, yes, except that according to both the US and Israel, those proposals were to have been presented in direct talks between the parties and those direct talks have not happened and are unlikely to happen.

I would bet on the 'talks' being terminated.

Labels: Abu Mazen, Palestinian intransigence

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:46 AM