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Photo: Reuters
Abbas unimpressed with Israel
Photo: Reuters

'Israel doesn't want calm'

Palestinian civil war not in the cards, Israel fails to deliver on pledges, PA Chairman Abbas says

Although the Palestinians are committed to pledges made to Israel, the Jewish state has failed to deliver on promises to withdraw from Palestinian towns and release prisoners, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas says.

 

"It appears they (Israel) are the ones not interested in the calm, not us," he said. "This (calm) is something that helps us on all levels, even on the local level."

 

In an interview with London-based newspaper al-Sharq al-Awsat, Abbas charged Israel was inciting against him but said that despite the smear campaign he does not intend to resign.

 

Abbas said he was surprised to hear Israeli leaders describe him as a second Yasser Arafat, and added the late leader was one of the most pragmatic Palestinians. Moreover, the charges leveled at him are used by Israel to get out of meeting its pledges, Abbas said.

 

"I'm subject to ongoing, continuing attacks," the Palestinian leader said. "There's a sector in Israel that started to understand that I've made substantial, positive moves on the ground."

 

According to Abbas, the continuing lull, which comes in the face of what he says is an Israeli failure to comply with previous understandings, "reflects the wisdom of Palestinians." However, the continuation of the current state of affairs imposes a heavy burden on him, the PA chairman admitted.

 

"The cities were not handed over, the prisoners haven't been released, and we promised it to people." He said. "How will we face them? We have to address this burden."

 

'Bush is a friend of Israel'

 

On another front, Abbas said Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has decided on a unilateral exit from Gaza to show the world Israel was acting and the Palestinians were not. However, when a partnership is built, the two sides must achieve mutual agreement he said.

 

"Sharon doesn't want to take Palestinian wishes into consideration," he said.

 

Turning his attention to the prospect of a Palestinian civil war, Abbas said that possibility was unacceptable.

 

"If the Israelis want us to initiate a civil war, it's a destructive position for the entire peace process as a whole, and not only the Palestinian question," he said.

 

Regarding his upcoming trip to Washington, Abbas noted President George W. Bush and America are friends of Israel.

 

"We do not aspire to become friends, but we hope that the United States at least would adopt objective positions, see the truth on the ground, and act accordingly," he said.

 


פרסום ראשון: 05.13.05, 16:31
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