For the last nine months I did not believe for a moment that the current US initiated peace talks between Israel and the PLO (yes – the PLO: The Palestinian Liberation Organization, not the Palestinian Authority!), would succeed.
On the other hand anyone who has studied similar attempts over the past twenty years knows for a fact that Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), current leader of both the PLO and its dominant component, the large Fatah organization, as well as being the illegitimate “president” of the defunct Palestinian Authority, has no authority, desire, reason, legitimacy or courage to actually sign a formal peace treaty with Israel.
In September 2008 Abbas walked away from a dream deal offered by then Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Israel essentially agreed to give up sovereignty of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, which would then be managed by a special committee consisting of representatives from five nations: Saudia Arabia, Jordan, Palestine, the United States and Israel.
Olmert also showed Abbas a detailed map with the proposed borders of the future Palestinian state. Israel would keep only 6.3% of the West Bank, and in exchange would give the Palestinians areas that consist of 5.8% of Israeli territory.
Olmert’ s offer included a secure corridor between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank through a tunnel, Israeli evacuation from the Jordan valley and the absorption of around 5,000 Palestinian refugees into Israel proper over five years.
Olmert and Abbas met subsequently thirty six times, mainly in Jerusalem, and reached a draft agreement that would be the basis for any future peace deal between the parties. But no peace deal was signed despite the far-reaching offer. Abbas just walked away from it. Until today, neither Abbas nor other Palestinian leaders have responded to Olmert’s offer.
Last year Abbas told the US that he was willing to “renew” the talks…but only from the point at which they ended with Olmert. In other words – already including all the concessions offered then, without giving anyyhing in return.
Denounced as a death-deserving traitor by Hamas and leaders within his own Fatah movement for just agreeing to participate in the current talks, Abbas has absolutely no incentive or intention to change the almost seventy year Palestinian ethos by formally accepting a two state resolution.
Pay attention to his words – while he says that he is personally “committed” to the negotiation process, Abbas insists that any final agreement with Israel must be ratified in a referendum of the “Palestinian nation” at large… all estimated 5.5 million of them scattered around the globe and who would have, according to him, a “right of return” to Israel, or monetary compensation, as part of the deal.
Loyal to his long-held “salami” theory (cut slices of Israel away until there is none left), it was clear that Abbas would try to pocket as many concessions from Israel and the US – to be the new “starting points” in future peace talks – before walking away from this round, too.
I wrote in past columns that these talks are doomed because of the current lack of an authoritative Palestinian leadership. On March 27th I even called them “DOA”.
I expected a weak Mahmoud Abbas to let them die slowly, while milking Israel and the US for whatever more he could get.
But I never expected him to “confirm the kill” of this round with such a dramatic coup-de-grace as the ludicrous merger agreement between the secular PLO and fanatically Islamist Hamas.
As one Israeli pundit colorfully said last weekend…this isn’t just a blow to the US driven peace talks, it’s a fatal stake right through the heart.
It’s also a wonderful Israel Independence Day gift to Netanyahu’s government.
Agree or disagree, that’s my opinion.
DISCLAIMER: Opinions expressed above the writer’s, and do not represent SWJC directors, officers or members
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