Skeleton plan?
Monday PM Olmert met with Pres. Abbas in Jericho. This was the first time an Israeli PM has met on PA territory since 2000. They apparently discussed a "skeleton plan" on principles to bring about an agreement by next November for the planned international conference on the Middle East. This was to include the establishment of a Palestinian State, but before that can be possible many other difficult issues must be resolved, including refugees and Jerusalem. Frankly, most Israelis wish that it wasn't Olmert doing this negotiating. He showed himself incompetent to deal with these issues by still suggesting further unilateral Israeli withdrawals after the fiasco of the Second Lebanon War.
Until now Israel has made many gestures to the Palestinians, including releasing 255 Fatah prisoners, releasing tax funds to the PA, agreeing to stop attacking Fatah (al Aksa Brigades) terrorists in the West Bank (as long as they agree to stop terrorism) and has started regular security committee meetings with the PA in the WB. These and other activities are supposed to strengthen Abbas in relation to Hamas and to give the Palestinians some hope for an eventual peaceful compromise solution.
But, Abbas is far from durable in his position, he is definitely under pressure from Hamas, and he could be assassinated at any time, for as they see it becoming a "poodle" of the Israelis and Americans and giving concessions to Israel that he is not authorized to give. Remember that most Arab leaders who tried to make peace with Israel have been assassinated, from King Abdullah I of Jordan to Pres. Sadat of Egypt, and many Palestinian leaders (perhaps why Arafat was so cagey). Now Abbas is in the cross-hairs.
But, let's hope that in rushing to make concessions to him Olmert doesn't give away the store and its contents as his predecessor Barak nearly did.
Surprisingly absent from any of the recent meetings has been the super-diplomat to the Middle East, Tony Blair - where's Tony?
Until now Israel has made many gestures to the Palestinians, including releasing 255 Fatah prisoners, releasing tax funds to the PA, agreeing to stop attacking Fatah (al Aksa Brigades) terrorists in the West Bank (as long as they agree to stop terrorism) and has started regular security committee meetings with the PA in the WB. These and other activities are supposed to strengthen Abbas in relation to Hamas and to give the Palestinians some hope for an eventual peaceful compromise solution.
But, Abbas is far from durable in his position, he is definitely under pressure from Hamas, and he could be assassinated at any time, for as they see it becoming a "poodle" of the Israelis and Americans and giving concessions to Israel that he is not authorized to give. Remember that most Arab leaders who tried to make peace with Israel have been assassinated, from King Abdullah I of Jordan to Pres. Sadat of Egypt, and many Palestinian leaders (perhaps why Arafat was so cagey). Now Abbas is in the cross-hairs.
But, let's hope that in rushing to make concessions to him Olmert doesn't give away the store and its contents as his predecessor Barak nearly did.
Surprisingly absent from any of the recent meetings has been the super-diplomat to the Middle East, Tony Blair - where's Tony?
posted by Jack Cohen at 10:07 PM
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