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Reader comment on item: Which Way Will Abbas Go?

Submitted by Tough Call (United States), Jan 15, 2005 at 16:12

There is a simple, fundamental problem with such analyses. Any Arab leader who truly wants peace and believes in peace can only declare as such from a position of strength. Sadat couldn't have made the peaceful overture to Israel until/unless he was firmly in control.

Given (a) today's sad state of Palestinian society and (b) the reality that Palestinian "cause" is simply a proxy for the larger war where the strings are all pulled from Tehran and Damascus, a new Palestinian leader who truly believed AND spoke of peace with Israel right now wouldn't be especially interesting or relevant--since he'd quickly be murdered. Today neither Abbas, nor any other potential Palestinian leader, has a strong enough hand or base to shut down the terrorist forces that rule Palestinian life.

Of course this is a dangerous game, and the hope/bet that Arafat was one potential "strong man" who really wanted peace--another Sadat--was a failure. But it's too soon to tell with Abbas. This could be a part of a longer-term scheme to build up support and a base before moving more explicitly toward a peaceful stance with Israel. Or not. But it's a little bit melodramatic to expect anything else from a leader that Israel and the US wants to see stay alive long enough to make a real difference.
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Reader comments (53) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Courage Lives! [376 words]Arlinda DeAngelisMar 17, 2005 21:2921049
In response to commenter Jacob Carmiel [809 words]Ed Melik, Esq.Jan 29, 2005 08:0019968
Line Up the Vectors [187 words]Murray NadlerJan 26, 2005 14:2119889
1A tiger becoming a vegetarian? [28 words]S.C.PandaJan 25, 2005 04:5219843
Abbas and the western liberals [27 words]Octavio JohansonJan 23, 2005 07:4319814
Palestine's right to exist? [92 words]Aaron GoldsteinJan 19, 2005 20:2319783
What's the Point Of Any Palestinian Government..... [126 words]J CarmielJan 17, 2005 04:0719709
Mr.Abbas's bleak future [250 words]Marcos BerensteinJan 16, 2005 19:5519704
So far you are right ... [4 words]Boris FrenkelJan 16, 2005 14:5619696
Marcos Berenstein's comment [98 words]J. CarmielJan 16, 2005 13:5819693
Not an easy challenge/Which way will Abbas go ? [28 words]Hans GuggenheimJan 15, 2005 16:3019683
Take a step back... [217 words]Tough CallJan 15, 2005 16:1219682
Mr.Carmiel's remarks [150 words]Marcos BerensteinJan 15, 2005 06:2219678
Abbas is another loser [166 words]Ed ZeeJan 14, 2005 15:0019670
Palestine and Israel two state solution.... [115 words]Jacob CarmielJan 14, 2005 14:3119669
Abbas, the elected president [113 words]Alon ReiningerJan 14, 2005 14:2519668
Reesponse To Marcos Berenstein [76 words]Mr J CarmielJan 14, 2005 06:3019664
OK. Then what [64 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
John W. McGinleyJan 13, 2005 14:1119647
TO MR DANIEL PIPES [20 words]Fadel MJan 13, 2005 12:3619645
Palestinian Bind [44 words]Peter J. HerzJan 13, 2005 08:2019643
Islamic Teachings X Peace [134 words]Marcos BerensteinJan 13, 2005 07:1219642
If he choose the wrong direction! [139 words]S. LubiczJan 12, 2005 20:3419638
Right of Return & Sami Aldeeb [285 words]John BrockJan 12, 2005 19:2619635
True peace [67 words]DannyJan 12, 2005 15:3719634
Perceptions of your articles on Abbas & Palestine are true [93 words]Don MarshJan 12, 2005 13:3519632
23rd Islamic State [25 words]AmirJan 12, 2005 12:4119631
A "one-state" solution [195 words]Mike ReiderJan 12, 2005 10:4319630
Sheep's clothing [70 words]Menahem DunskyJan 12, 2005 08:4719628
Abbas' only concept of peace with Israel is "rest in peace" [207 words]Srinivasan VaradarajanJan 12, 2005 07:0919627
Directly on the mark! [33 words]Ruth BrochJan 11, 2005 23:2719622
No peace without justice [238 words]Sami AldeebJan 11, 2005 21:2619619
Duplicity - Stalin and Abbas [165 words]Herbert BernsteinJan 11, 2005 20:2719617
Keep it up [12 words]Herb StoneJan 11, 2005 19:5519616
Amen.... [14 words]Andrew BergJan 11, 2005 19:3919615
In answer to Terry [82 words]Neila HachichaJan 11, 2005 19:3019614
He should stop violence [50 words]Octavio JohansonJan 11, 2005 17:4819612
Right of Return [191 words]Marcos BerensteinJan 11, 2005 17:3519610
Abbas' Strategy [216 words]Robert SniderJan 11, 2005 17:2519609
Mahmoud Abbas and 1930 [172 words]Sir Daniel M.J. TobinJan 11, 2005 17:0619606
Will the real Abbas please stand up? [53 words]John MaloneyJan 11, 2005 17:0119605
Mr. Abbas [103 words]Bill WaldronJan 11, 2005 15:5419602
Invisible enemy in plain sight [32 words]SJan 11, 2005 15:4119601
Insightful [38 words]TerryJan 11, 2005 15:3119600
Are there ANY circumstances [259 words]ATJan 11, 2005 14:5519599
What about "one democratic state for all" ? [84 words]Neila HachichaJan 11, 2005 14:5019597
You hit the nail on the head again [157 words]Robert KleinJan 11, 2005 14:3419595
Bravo! [1 words]Lenore RobertsJan 11, 2005 14:0619593
Krauthammer on Abbas [95 words]Jonathan RickJan 11, 2005 13:4619592
Danger of Abbas [198 words]Reuven RashkovskyJan 11, 2005 13:4419591
Abbas Has No Mandate to Do Anything [70 words]Philip ZwickJan 11, 2005 13:3619590
Flip-flop [105 words]JaladhiJan 11, 2005 13:2919589
Which Way Depends on What Reference Point [102 words]Jacob SlabiakJan 11, 2005 13:2719586
The Right of Return [136 words]Larry ShapiroJan 11, 2005 13:1419585

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