Israel Matzav

Netanyahu watered down response to Abu Mazen to satisfy Kadima

Prime Minister Netanyahu's response to the letter he received from 'moderate' 'Palestinian' President Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazen was toned down considerably as a result of Kadima's inclusion in the unity government coalition. The original response had been much more 'unfriendly.' Nevertheless, Abu Bluff is angry about the response and is threatening once again to go to the United Nations.

In response to Abbas’s indictment of Israeli actions over the last 20 years, Jerusalem drew up a response in kind which was not considered “friendly.” But once the unity government with Kadima was established, the decision was made not to get into polemics with the PA, but rather to water down the response and essentially tell the Palestinians that now that there was a broad government, there was a chance to start anew with negotiations, and that this opportunity should not be missed.

The Israeli letter that was sent, the Post has learned, was one-and-a-half pages long and short on details.

Abbas’s letter outlined his conditions for returning to the negotiating table, demanding Israeli recognition of the pre- 1967 lines as the basis for future peace talks, a full cessation of construction in the settlements and east Jerusalem and the release of Palestinian prisoners.

...

Abbas, meanwhile, met with US Consul- General Daniel Rubinstein and discussed with him the latest developments surrounding efforts to resume the stalled peace talks.

Abbas, according to one of his aides, told the US diplomat that he was disappointed with Netanyahu’s reply.

The PA prime minister renewed his threat on Thursday to unilaterally seek UN recognition of a Palestinian state in response to Israel’s refusal to accept his conditions for resuming talks.

His threat was made during an interview published Thursday with the Lebanese daily An-Nahhar.

Abbas also told the paper that the exchange of letters between him and Netanyahu has reached a “deadlock.”

Abbas said that he was expecting the Americans to come forward with “new ideas” to revive the peace process.

He said that any idea should include a freeze of settlement construction and recognition of the pre-1967 lines “with some land swaps.” Otherwise, Abbas cautioned, “we will go to the UN to extract a seat for Palestine as a non-member state.”

Abbas also reiterated his refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, saying the PLO, by signing the Oslo Accords, had recognized Israel.

Which Americans does he think are going to come up with 'new ideas'? And why does he think he has the right to expect that the 'new ideas' will include so many old ones?

What could go wrong?

Labels: Abu Mazen, direct talks, Palestinian state RIGHT NOW syndrome

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:48 PM