Abbas: I'll Ask Israel To Take Over West Bank

RAMALLAH, West Bank — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has warned he may dissolve his self-rule government and ask Israel to resume full control of the West Bank if troubled peace talks fail.

Dismantling the Palestinian Authority would be a last resort, Abbas told Palestine TV in an interview broadcast late Friday. However, his comments marked the most explicit warning yet that he's considering a step that could crush lingering hopes for a Mideast peace deal.

If Abbas were to take such a step, Israel, as a military occupier, would have to assume full responsibility again for 2.2 million Palestinians in the West Bank. Israel was relieved of that financial burden with the establishment of the Palestinian Authority in 1994, as part of interim peace deals.

Still, Abbas might face considerable domestic opposition to dismantling the Palestinian Authority, since it employs some 150,000 Palestinians, a large chunk of the work force.

The Palestinian self-rule government, which receives hundreds of millions of dollars a year in foreign aid, has limited authority over 40 percent of the war-won West Bank, while Israel has final say over the entire area and exclusive control over 60 percent of the land.

Palestinian leaders currently are threatening to quit peace talks with Israel unless it freezes construction in the West Bank and east Jerusalem. Israel so far has refused to do so.

Abbas has said that if peace negotiations collapse, the Palestinians might seek unilateral U.N. recognition of a state in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, territories Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast War.

If all efforts fail, Abbas said, "I will tell the Americans and the Israelis, come and put an end to all this. I can't continue like this. We have an occupation and we don't. No, keep it all and release me (from my responsibility)."

On Saturday, Netanyahu called Abbas to thank him for sending members of the Palestinian civil defense to help fight a major fire that is devouring much of the Carmel Forest in northern Israel. It was a rare isntance of personal contact after weeks of silence between the two leaders.

Also Saturday, Abbas' interior minister ordered the closure of a satellite TV station co-owned by Mohammed Dahlan, a former confidant of the Palestinian leader.

The station, "Palestine Tomorrow," was to begin broadcasting in January. Palestinian security forces came to the office of the company operating the station on Thursday and delivered the closure order, said a senior station official who spoke on condition of anonymity, citing fear of further retaliation.

Dahlan, a former Gaza strongman, and Interior Minister Said Abu Ali declined comment.

Shuttering the station seems to be the latest sign that Dahlan, a leading member of Abbas' Fatah movement, has fallen out of favor. Dahlan once served as a security adviser to Abbas, and at one point was considered a potential successor to the president.

Comments

[Schweik]

01:17 PM on 12/08/2010

"Abbas: I'll Ask Israel To Take Over West Bank."
Wow. This worthy gentlemen ain't making it as a poker player.
A classic lesson of how NOT to bluff in a game.

[Aussieposter]

07:47 PM on 12/09/2010

This is not a bluff. Should Abbas dissolve the Palestinian Authority, thus making Israel responsible for 2.2 million Palestinian on the west bank. The next step would be for the Palestinians to make an application to the United Nations for “one man one vote”

It is possible that the U.S. Could Veto such an application. It would be an interesting sight to see the U.S. cast a veto to deny people the right to vote. Such an application in the U.N would be supported by Europe, South America and a host of other nations. I could think of only two who may oppose it.

2.2 million Palestinians demanding the right to vote in Israel leaving Israel with these choices

1 Mass expulsion
2 Subjugation
3 Acquiescence
4 Withdrawal

Mass expulsion would not be acceptable to the rest of the world. Subjugation which is basically the continuation of the status quo would find human rights advocates at home and abroad fighting for the right to vote. Basically a PR nightmare for Israel.

Israel could give the Palestinians in the west bank the right to vote. Thus ending the Jewish state, or it could withdraw from the west bank and allow the Palestinians a state of their own. I think this is a good move.

[jwcmass]

01:44 PM on 12/10/2010

Excellent insight and analysis as always, Aussieposter.
 
Already a fan, but faved.

[TaxedCitizen]

09:41 AM on 12/15/2010

Indeed. Interesting.

[Avirahim]

09:17 AM on 12/08/2010

World: We'll Ask Palestine to take over Jerusalem

"Argentina joins Brazil in recognition of Palestinian state
Argentine President sends Abbas letter stating it recognizes Palestine defined by 1967 borders; Uruguay says it will recognize Palestine in 2011; Israel calls announcement 'regrettable'."

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/argentina-joins-brazil-in-recognition-of-palestinian-state-1.329220

[Schweik]

01:13 PM on 12/08/2010

Oh...wait... so ... eh... Abbas wants a state... or eh... no.. he doesn't want a state... or... is it something else... may be, but on the other hand.
That PhD in revisionist mythology from the Soviet University doesn't seem to do much good to Mr. Abbas.

[Schweik]

11:19 AM on 12/07/2010

Palestinian desire peaceful negotiations... oh wait.. no Intifada is the way...... from Gaza ... JIhad is the way.... no we hold Planetary Palestinian referendum.... and a 10 year hudna. ah.. and then back to Jihad......wait... no..... we sincerely desire negotiations without preconditions. . we mean negotiations with preconditions,... ah... settlement freeze for 3 month..... recognition,...nand/or release of all prisoners... oh wait we forgot Jerusalem.. no but also .. freeze for 3... 8... 6 month... no forever freeze... wait let's ... ...sorry... no... we proclaim unilateral state... Europe....U.N.. justice.. must resist Israel take over, ot centimeter of Palestine will we surrender... well maybe a few centimeters, but no more... .no... not that ... wait..we gonna surrender W. Bank to Israeli administration....

Tragicomedy of errors continues. Act 2. Scene 165.

[Michael II]

05:37 AM on 12/08/2010

You seem a little confused. It's actually quite simple: Palestine = West Bank + Gaza, with East Jerusalem as the capital. This is the core position of both Fatah and Hamas.

There have been talks for years while settlement construction continued. So they don't see the point of more talks that actually enable settlement growth. Israel would be ill-advised to let the most moderate leadership that the Palestinians have ever seen (Abbas) be neutered for the sake of building kitchen extensions in Yitzhar. But then, life is full of choices.

[sageres]

09:31 AM on 12/08/2010

You must be confused with confusing of the facts on the ground with what the Palestinians want. Israel regards Jerusalem as its one and only undivided capital. They will never give it up no matter what. These are the facts and the "settlements" that they have been lately talking about in the last few weeks are nothing more then the apartment buildings in East Jerusalem neighborhoods.

[Schweik]

12:32 PM on 12/08/2010

"Palestine = West Bank + Gaza, with East Jerusalem as the capital. "
Obviously this is not the position of Hamas.
And obviously Hamas and PA are not even taking
And obviously, Abbas in a startling display of political incompetence lurches from one position to another incapable even to decide from month to month what he wants.

I suppose that's better than Hamas Jihad or Arafat's suicide bombing campaign,
But I fail to detect Palestinain leadership capable of rational and or competent decision-making..

The preposterous claim to Western Wall is but the latest example.

One day... maybe.

[Fireslayer]

09:21 PM on 12/06/2010

Maybe Abbas' flabbergastation is a sign we should all get ready for a one state solution with all having equal rights in a secular state?

[Magic 62]

11:12 PM on 12/06/2010

Sounds like one hell of a good idea.

[Fireslayer]

11:32 PM on 12/06/2010

my favorite story from the Buddha. There was a man walking down a path who spied a Tiger coming at him. He ran to a ledge and crawled down, clinging to a root. He came to a ledge. Beneath him there were other tigers clawing to come up towards him. He espied a strawberry. He plucked the strawberry and put it in his mouth. It tasted good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkwJ-g0iJ6w

[Schweik]

06:43 PM on 12/06/2010

by Mr. el-Khazen
"Where are the NOs of Khartoum today? Despite the scale of the defeat of 1967, the Arabs came together and cried: No peace with Israel, no recognition of Israel, and no negotiations with Israel.

Today, there are new NOs that reflect the Palestinian situation: No peace (among the Palestinians), no negotiations (half of the Palestinians oppose them), and no resistance (which the other half opposes).

The Palestinians today cannot even agree to meet, let alone meet and put an end to their differences.

The negotiations among the Palestinians are almost more difficult than negotiations between them and Israel. Each of the two main sides of the intra-Palestinian dispute cannot act in a manner that contradicts its alliances, or the path that it has chosen for itself."
http://www.alarabiya.net/views/2010/10/21/123146.html

NEVER MISSING AN OPPORTUNITY TO MISS AN OPPORTUNITY.

[TheRock Barkat]

07:09 PM on 12/06/2010

How you carefully select what you post out of context. Aside from that what does the fatah/hamas split this have to do with this article? That split was aided by Israel and the US.

From your posted article.
"This is the Palestinian situation as it is. Things are more or less the same in what concerns the situation with Israel: President Mahmoud Abbas held 30 hours of negotiations with Benjamin Netanyahu over the issues of security and the borders, without any results at all. Even if Abu Mazen were to spend 300 or 300 thousand hours negotiating with Netanyahu, the result would still be the same because the Israeli side will not concede anything. This is particularly true when Israel sees the Palestinian strife and Arab division, and considers these two facts to play into Israel's favor, to the extent that Israel today has the audacity to announce the construction of housing units in Jerusalem and the expansion of settlement, and then still expects the Palestinians to continue negotiating."

[Schweik]

07:50 PM on 12/06/2010

The article continues
:"the most dangerous aspect of the Palestinian’s failure in achieving reconciliation is that it compounds the difficulties and problems that the next attempt at it would face. With exacerbating disputes, the sharpness of exchanges and retorts also increase. For instance, I heard supporters of Hamas say that while Abu Mazen has visited Netanyahu in his home and ate at his table, he does not want to go to Damascus, while I heard officials in the Palestinian Authority say that Hamas has sold its soul and the cause to Iran, and is executing the orders of Ahmadinejad's government that is hated by the entire world."
http://www.alarabiya.net/views/2010/10/21/123146.html
This kind of an article severely critisizing Palestinains would be UNTHINKABLE from Arab press only a few decades ago.

This shows the extent of tiredness many rational Arabs feel about endless Palestinain bickering and feuding. This became noticeable following their historic failure to accept a state handed to them on a silver platter by Clinton and Barak-- an opportunity may be never to repeat itself.

NEVER MISSING AN OPPORTUNIT­Y TO MISS AN OPPORTUNIT­Y.”

[Schweik]

06:40 PM on 12/06/2010

Simply because Palestinians ethnically cleansing Jews from Judea, Samaria, E. Jerusalem and Gaza in 1948, now Palestinians are pitching 1,002nd tale that Jews. never lived there and shouldn't live there..
Wrong.
Twenty years of genocidal policies of Palestinian and their Jordanians overlords against Jews do not justify current attempt to make the area Jew-free. Yet again.

Arabs should be left alone to live and enjoy the Israeli prosperity if, and only if Jews are left alone to live in W. Bank Gaza and. their own capital.-- Jerusalem.

[jwcmass]

07:15 PM on 12/06/2010

Schweik,
 
Let's forget the history (for one thing, the Palestnians and Jordanians hardly saw eye to eye during the period of Jordanian Occupation -- you may recall that a Palestinian assassinated Jordan's King Abdullah I --  so let's remember that it was JORDAN -- NOT the Palestinians who made those decisions.
 
 
But it all comes down to this choice -- and it is one that only Israel can make.
 
IF they want to keep the land, and you obviously favor that, then that means a single state with a Palestinian demographic majority.
 
Just what is your solution to that conundrum?
 
The Palestinians WILL NOT ACCEPT perpetual Occupation. And all the suppression of their rights that comes with it.
 
I've quoted the author Gideon Levy a lot, but he seems to have the measure of the situation.
 
He has said that the Occupation continues because right now (with violence at a low) Israel pays no real cost for it. There are no consequences.
 
This is partly due to the US -- We have absorbed the monetary cost (there is no way Israel without US aid could maintain the military it has AND build the settlements and their infrastructure.
 
But the settler movement has ALWAYS had as their goal the prevention (through "Facts on the Ground") of a Palestinian state. Do you REALLY think the Palestinians are unaware of this?
 
And just HOW are they supposed to react? How would YOU react if your basic rights (life, liberty, property) were -- as a matter of policy-- regularly suppressed?
 
Would YOU be willing to change places with any of the average Palestinian residents of the West Bank or Gaza?
 
like it or not the Palestinians have the SAME RIGHTS as Israelis.

[Schweik]

07:41 PM on 12/06/2010

"Palestinia­ns have the SAME RIGHTS as Israelis. "
Obviously not.
Due to the fact that Palestinain Arabs, (unlike Palestinain Jews) rejected their own state in 1947, 1967, 200, 2005 they have been non-state persons.
Some have become Israeli citizens, some left and some still live in Disputed territories as non-state persons jointly and severally administered by Israeli and Arab Palestinian authorities-- as per Oslo agreement when Israeli permitted PLO entry into the Disputed Territories.

Similarly, Palestinain Arabs are non-state persons in the rest of the Middle East.

It is up to the states Arab Palestinains reside in to grant or deny them various privileges.

For instance, Kuwaitis decided to evict people of Palestinian ancestry.
Lebanon does not grant People of Palestinain ancestry the privilege of citizenship and not even basic immigrants rights.
Saudi Arabia expressly deny people of Palestinain ancestry citizenship rights.

[TheRock Barkat]

07:17 PM on 12/06/2010

Your capital is Tel-aviv

The Palestinians dont need Israeli prosperity as they will have many countries aiding them unlike Israel which has so few friends, they will have/make their own prosperity and become independent unlike Israel which needs a financial host to keep it propped up for over 60yrs.
This is why settler companies need to pull tricks in order to sell their products outside of Israel in the EU. Luckily they were caught. The Palestinians will have the EU as well as all the arab nations to trade with.

[Chagsameach5771]

02:04 AM on 12/07/2010

"Israel which has so few friends"

Yes. So few, like all of the countries in North America and most of South America, the EU countries, most South- and East Asian countries, Australia and NZ, etc. ROLFMAO!!

[Chagsameach5771]

02:06 AM on 12/07/2010

p.s. I almost forgot about their relations with most of the Sub-Saharan African countries, and even Morocco and Tunisia--so few friends--LOL!

[gingershot]

05:03 PM on 12/06/2010

Argentina joins Brazil in recognition of Palestinian state

Argentine President sends Abbas letter stating it recognizes Palestine defined by 1967 borders; Uruguay says it will recognize Palestine in 2011; Israel calls announcement 'regrettable'.
===

wow! - Just as John Mearsheimer and Charles Freeman have been saying over the last year - this is exactly what needs to happen - the phony and rigged peace process under the control of Dennis Ross and the Israel Lobby needs to be ripped away from the Lobby and the Lobby-dominated US.

The US rock Israel is hiding under needs to be overthrown and Israel subject to the same international law every other country on earth must respect. No ethnic-cleasning free pass/get out jail free card for Israel

When Israel refuses and digs in - that's when BDS kicks in for Apartheid Israel until theres a 'One State Solution'



http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/argentina-joins-brazil-in-recognition-of-palestinian-state-1.329220

[piul05]

05:20 PM on 12/06/2010

Way to go hermanos!

[Schweik]

02:41 AM on 12/07/2010

"EU rejects Palestinian statehood appeal
The European Union rejected requests Tuesday that it support a Palestinian plan for gaining recognition as an independent state at the U.N. Security Council without Israeli consent."
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-11-17-eu-palestinian-appeal_N.htm

[Michael II]

04:41 AM on 12/07/2010

Given that the foreign ministers of France, Spain and elsewhere openly advocate a Palestinian state, I wouldn't count on that one holding out for long. Remember that some states are weary of a state that forged their passports for the purpose of a political assassination.

[Michael II]

04:46 AM on 12/07/2010

Incidentally, rather than mid-reading ministers, here is the official EU position concerning Palestine:

"EU positions on “final status issues”

Borders. The EU considers that the future Palestinian state will require secure and recognised borders. These should be based on a withdrawal from the territory occupied in 1967 with minor modifications mutually agreed, if necessary, in accordance with UNSC Resolutions 242, 338, 1397, 1402 and 1515 and the principles of the Madrid Process."

[TheRock Barkat]

02:48 PM on 12/06/2010

Netanyahu who bragged about skirting the Oslo process now has his hasbara minions claiming that this declaration does not follow it. The hypocrisy of Israel is just remarkable.

Israel slams Argentina for recognizing Palestinian State
Published: 12.06.10, 21:17 / Israel News

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Government officials are concerned that the fact that Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay have announced recognition of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders will influence other South American nations and the rest of the world.

"This is a regretful and disappointing step which doesn't contribute in the least to the peace process," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor of the Argentinean announcement. "It's a spoken gesture that goes against the Oslo Accords, which state that a permanent solution can only be reached as result of negotiations." (Ronen Medzini and Ali Waked)

[TheRock Barkat]

04:50 PM on 12/06/2010

If the UN nations recognize Palestine on the 67 borders how do you figure that Israel will keep the land if Israel is infringing upon their Territory?

[Michael II]

04:52 AM on 12/07/2010

It's not that "the Palestinians don't want to negotiate", it's that they know negotiating accompanied by settlement construction is a joke. It's been happening for years already.

At this stage, Netanyahu could pull off a master stunt by saying, OK, let's look at Olmert's proposals. Abbas has them somewhere in a drawer. Call his bluff, then.

[pgmark]

04:41 PM on 12/06/2010

Barkat you need to chill - you are going to bust an artery!
What will you ever do when there is peace.
The smart people work for peace and compromise -
Come to the light - work for a better tomorrow for all.

[TheRock Barkat]

04:52 PM on 12/06/2010

Pgmark who is busting an artery? LOL I think this is great and the Palestinian government is ecstatic. Why shouldnt they be. Finally UN nations are taking a stance firmly in the face of the US and Israel of which neither country is seeking peace but pieces.

[TheRock Barkat]

02:45 PM on 12/06/2010

The ball is rolling now

Uruguay joins S. American states, recognizes 'Palestine'
By JPOST.COM STAFF
12/06/2010 21:00

Following Brazil and Argentina's footsteps, Uruguay announced Monday that it recognizes an independent Palestinian state based on 1967 borders, according to AFP.

"Uruguay will surely follow the same path as Argentina in 2011," Uruguayan Deputy Foreign Minister Roberto Conde told AFP.

"We are working towards opening a diplomatic representation in Palestine, most likely in Ramallah," he said.

The Palestinian ambassador in Argentina reacted with "joy and enthusiasm" to Argentina and Uruguay's announcements on Monday, and said he expected other South American countries to follow suit, reported AFP.

http://www.jpost.com/Headlines/Article.aspx?id=198283

[TheRock Barkat]

02:40 PM on 12/06/2010

Poor poor Israel. They are sad.

Reports: Argentina recognizes Palestine

Argentina will recognize Palestine as an independent state, days after Brazil did so, Middle East media are reporting.

"Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner confirmed in a phone call to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday that her country would recognize an independent Palestine within the 1967 borders," the Palestinian News Network reports, citing Yasser Abbed Rabbo, Secretary General of the Palestinian Liberation Organization. "Kirchner also said that her recognition was not just a political gesture but a moral stand."

The Israeli government expressed disappointment at the decision, which it learned of this morning, calling it a violation of internationally-recognized agreements which state that a Palestinian state can only be established as the result of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/laurarozen/1210/Reports_Argentina_recognizes_Palestine.html?showall

[TheRock Barkat]

03:36 PM on 12/06/2010

Uruguay as well!

[gingershot]

06:16 PM on 12/06/2010

I like this chick Cristina Kirchner already! - even better, she didn't send a cc to Netanyahu and the rest of that criminal government. Perfect!

The Israelis and Aemricans had better get used to it - the horse is out of the barn and Humpty Dumpty can't put it back together again


"The Argentine government recognizes Palestine as a free and independent state within the borders defined in 1967," AFP quoted Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman, reading a letter sent by Argentine President Cristina Kirchner wrote to Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas.

[Fractal122635]

01:56 PM on 12/06/2010

And he has resigned how many times? This is an indication of just how sad and incapable the Palestinians are of governing themselves. Does Abbas really think the Israelis care if he resigns and dismantles the PA?

It is universally regarded in Israeli that the agreement to CREATE the PA as a result of Oslo was an unmitigated disaster. Israel, through their agreement to fund and arm a Paletinian police force ended up arming Al Aqsa, Palestinain Jihad, and Hamas.

Let him resign and the World Bank or IMF will end up appointing someone else like Fayaad to oversee the Billions in aid that have been provided and siphoned off by corrupt leaders like him and Arafat and the Palestinian man in the street will continue to be better off, just as they are today with Bibi making inroads in improving their economy.

[tobereal]

01:10 PM on 12/06/2010

He's trying to call Israel's bluff. They have two chocies: Take full responsibility for the Territories or let the Palestinians have their own state. For 16 years things have been in limbo and not going anywhere. If Israel had to take full responsibility, they'd experience more directly, again, what a hassle it is, and would more easily let go of it forever rather than contend with the enormous, problematic responsibility of being a full-blown occupier. Right now they get to shrug off blame for what's going on because the PLA gets (over-)blamed for the problems. It's quite a shake-up Abbas is proposing, one that Israel doesn't want. A real threat like this can spur serious talks, is his bet.

[Atif Ahmed Choudhury]

01:05 PM on 12/06/2010

This is a bold move...but if these latest peace talks fail, I think they should go one farther and muster some courage to simply declare independence. At the end of the day, the international community will be behind them.

Other countries that aren't 1. Israel's BFFs and 2. useless autocratic Arab regimes that are by extension # 1. can and will step up to the plate and could help make Palestine a viable state. In fact they have already started:

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2010/12/201012504256198565.html

Plus at this point the Palestinians literally have NOTHING left to lose...like seriously what else can be taken away from them? More land and access to resources? Isn't that what's been happening, and will continue to occur with the status quo anyway? Might as well try being bold instead of continuing to be passive victims.

[Michael II]

04:56 AM on 12/07/2010

Israel has promised to annex the Jordan valley and other areas if the Palestinians declare a state "unilaterally". So Palestine would then be the Buntustan inapparently in Netanyahu's mind, about 40% of the West Bank. I think dissolving the PA and creating a larger Israel would be preferable to that.

[Wisdo]

05:51 AM on 12/07/2010

so let them annex away - more land for the Palestinians when they get the vote.

[misaacm]

12:13 PM on 12/06/2010

Yeah, yeah, yeah, Abbas is going to hold his breath until he is blue if he doesn't get his way. Sure, he is going to give up his source of power and patronage (150,000 state employees) and corruption. The Palestinians are the biggest welfare and drama queens in the world. Their European and US financiers (and enablers) should tell him to stop issuing unilateral demands and start negotiating. He has been pouting since it occurred to him that the Obama administration wasn't going to hand him Israel on a silver platter.

Of course he doesn't really want negotiate, since deep down he realizes that the Israelis won't give up control of the West Bank (as the majority of Israelis want) without an end to the conflict. He doesn't want to officially end the conflict because it would formalize the Palestinians' terms of surrender. They lost their war to destroy Israel and they are having a hard time accepting that.

[Londoncall]

04:22 AM on 12/07/2010

Blame your victim, blame your victim, blame your victim.

[Wisdo]

12:09 PM on 12/06/2010

RAMALLAH, West Bank — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has warned he may dissolve his self-rule government and ask Israel to resume full control of the West Bank if troubled peace talks fail.

Good. Do it.