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06/11/2009 Israeli and American officials expressed concern over Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's announcement on Thursday that he would not be running for reelection in January.
Israeli President Shimon Peres telephoned Abbas on Wednesday night in an effort to persuade the Palestinian leader to change his mind. Peres told Abbas that he was worried that the decision would trigger political crisis in the Palestinian Authority, leading to a Hamas takeover in the occupied West Bank.
"If you leave the Palestinians would lose their chance for an independent state," Peres told Abbas. "The situation in the region would deteriorate. Stay, for the Palestinian people's sake," he said.
Aides to Benjamin Netanyahu refused to comment on Abbas' statement, but the Israeli prime minister has reportedly said in private meetings recently that it was in Israel's interest to have a strong Abbas who could advance the peace process. Netanyahu made similar statements to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton a week ago, saying that it was in Israel's interest to strengthen Abbas as much as possible.
"Of the existing alternatives, if we want an agreement with the Palestinians then Abbas is the best partner," Netanyahu said a few days ago.
The Ynet news website quoted an Israeli official it did not identify as saying: "It's in Israel's interest to have Abbas stay in office."
"Netanyahu does not want Abu Mazen (Abbas) to leave," another told the Maariv newspaper. "He is careful not to embrace him too tightly, but clearly he is the candidate who is the lesser evil among the Palestinian leadership."
Most of the Israeli press, however, dismissed Abbas's announcement as a tactical maneuver meant to pressure the United States to maintain its pressure on Israel for a total freeze on settlement construction in the whole West Bank. "The Abu Mazen Threat Show," said a headline in Maariv.
"This announcement is a tactical step, aimed first and foremost at the Americans," an Israeli official told the mass-selling Yediot Aharonot daily.
Clinton asked Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Wednesday and Arab foreign ministers she met in Morocco two days earlier to urge Abbas to remain in office and run for reelection.
Abbas said Thursday that he had no wish to seek reelection through a presidential poll he called for January, blaming the stalemate in the peace talks on Israel and the United States. Abbas and his associates were particularly critical of the U.S. administration, which Abbas believes betrayed him.
In a speech broadcast live from Palestinian Authority headquarters in Ramallah, Abbas, 74, said: "I have told our brethren in the Palestine Liberation Organization ... that I have no desire to run in the forthcoming election." Abbas succeeded Yasser Arafat as PLO leader five years ago.
But Abbas' careful wording left room for the possibility that he could be persuaded to change his mind, especially if he perceives the United States as backing his demand for a total end to Israeli construction in occupied West Bank settlements.
Aides said Clinton's praise for Israel's stand in favor of curtailing but not halting settlement construction stunned Abbas, who had previously received full support from the Americans.
Clinton's recent statements in Egypt, according to which the United States does not see the settlements as legitimate, was unsatisfactory to Abbas.
To change Abbas' mind Washington will have to produce results from Israel regarding the construction in the settlements. Without significant American achievements, especially vis-a-vis East Jerusalem, Abbas is unlikely to change his decision. In this case, it is doubtful whether the elections will take place and Abbas will remain in office for a while.
HAMAS DISMISSES ABBAS RETIREMENT PLANS
Israeli President Shimon Peres telephoned Abbas on Wednesday night in an effort to persuade the Palestinian leader to change his mind. Peres told Abbas that he was worried that the decision would trigger political crisis in the Palestinian Authority, leading to a Hamas takeover in the occupied West Bank.
"If you leave the Palestinians would lose their chance for an independent state," Peres told Abbas. "The situation in the region would deteriorate. Stay, for the Palestinian people's sake," he said.
Aides to Benjamin Netanyahu refused to comment on Abbas' statement, but the Israeli prime minister has reportedly said in private meetings recently that it was in Israel's interest to have a strong Abbas who could advance the peace process. Netanyahu made similar statements to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton a week ago, saying that it was in Israel's interest to strengthen Abbas as much as possible.
"Of the existing alternatives, if we want an agreement with the Palestinians then Abbas is the best partner," Netanyahu said a few days ago.
The Ynet news website quoted an Israeli official it did not identify as saying: "It's in Israel's interest to have Abbas stay in office."
"Netanyahu does not want Abu Mazen (Abbas) to leave," another told the Maariv newspaper. "He is careful not to embrace him too tightly, but clearly he is the candidate who is the lesser evil among the Palestinian leadership."
Most of the Israeli press, however, dismissed Abbas's announcement as a tactical maneuver meant to pressure the United States to maintain its pressure on Israel for a total freeze on settlement construction in the whole West Bank. "The Abu Mazen Threat Show," said a headline in Maariv.
"This announcement is a tactical step, aimed first and foremost at the Americans," an Israeli official told the mass-selling Yediot Aharonot daily.
Clinton asked Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Wednesday and Arab foreign ministers she met in Morocco two days earlier to urge Abbas to remain in office and run for reelection.
Abbas said Thursday that he had no wish to seek reelection through a presidential poll he called for January, blaming the stalemate in the peace talks on Israel and the United States. Abbas and his associates were particularly critical of the U.S. administration, which Abbas believes betrayed him.
In a speech broadcast live from Palestinian Authority headquarters in Ramallah, Abbas, 74, said: "I have told our brethren in the Palestine Liberation Organization ... that I have no desire to run in the forthcoming election." Abbas succeeded Yasser Arafat as PLO leader five years ago.
But Abbas' careful wording left room for the possibility that he could be persuaded to change his mind, especially if he perceives the United States as backing his demand for a total end to Israeli construction in occupied West Bank settlements.
Aides said Clinton's praise for Israel's stand in favor of curtailing but not halting settlement construction stunned Abbas, who had previously received full support from the Americans.
Clinton's recent statements in Egypt, according to which the United States does not see the settlements as legitimate, was unsatisfactory to Abbas.
To change Abbas' mind Washington will have to produce results from Israel regarding the construction in the settlements. Without significant American achievements, especially vis-a-vis East Jerusalem, Abbas is unlikely to change his decision. In this case, it is doubtful whether the elections will take place and Abbas will remain in office for a while.
HAMAS DISMISSES ABBAS RETIREMENT PLANS
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' announcement that he won't seek reelection is merely a pressure tactic that merits no serious response, Hamas says.
Abbas' retirement threat is directed mostly at his "American and Zionist friends," Hamas Spokesman Dr. Sami Abu Zuhari said. "Abbas sought to let them know that he is dissatisfied with their conduct."
Israel and the US have alienated Abbas and are merely using him as a means for their advancing their plans, he said, noting that Abbas' decision is an internal Fatah matter. "Instead of turning to the Americans, he should turn to the Palestinian people and admit that the process has failed and that an emphasis should be given to the resistance, while undertaking genuine steps to achieve Palestinian reconciliation," he said.
"However, there is no doubt that this attests to genuine political distress on Abbas' part," he said. "Clinton in her meeting with Netanyahu summarized the process Abbas has been proceeding with, where we see negotiations for the sake of talking, while Israel expands its settlements and the Americans publicly back this conduct."
ARAB LEAGUE CHIEF ASKS ABBAS TO RUN IN ELECTION
Abbas' retirement threat is directed mostly at his "American and Zionist friends," Hamas Spokesman Dr. Sami Abu Zuhari said. "Abbas sought to let them know that he is dissatisfied with their conduct."
Israel and the US have alienated Abbas and are merely using him as a means for their advancing their plans, he said, noting that Abbas' decision is an internal Fatah matter. "Instead of turning to the Americans, he should turn to the Palestinian people and admit that the process has failed and that an emphasis should be given to the resistance, while undertaking genuine steps to achieve Palestinian reconciliation," he said.
"However, there is no doubt that this attests to genuine political distress on Abbas' part," he said. "Clinton in her meeting with Netanyahu summarized the process Abbas has been proceeding with, where we see negotiations for the sake of talking, while Israel expands its settlements and the Americans publicly back this conduct."
ARAB LEAGUE CHIEF ASKS ABBAS TO RUN IN ELECTION
Arab League Chief Amr Mussa urged Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas to reconsider his decision to not run in an upcoming election, the Egyptian state news agency MENA reported.
Mussa assured Abbas of his backing in a phone conversation on Thursday night after the Palestinian leader, who has threatened to resign several times, insisted in a speech that his announcement was "not a stunt," MENA said.
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