Abbas with US secretary of state. Cooperation to continue?
Photo: AFP
Netanyahu. Internal Palestinian matter
Photo: Amos Ben Gershom, GPO
Aides say Netanyahu views Abbas as partner
Israel refrains from issuing official response to Palestinian president's declaration that he will not run in January elections, but state official says 'it's Israel's interest to have Abbas stay in office'
Israel,
the United States and the Palestinian street appeared unfazed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas'
dramatic declaration
that he is not interested in running for president in the upcoming elections.
"Netanyahu believes that if Abu Mazen (Abbas) takes his courage in both hands he will be able to surprise everyone. It's an Israeli interest to have Abbas stay in office," a state official said.
Israel refrained from officially responding to the announcement, but sources close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was interested in moving forward with Abbas to an agreement and that he viewed the Palestinian leader as a partner.
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The sources noted that Israel was referring to Abbas' declaration as an internal Palestinian matter, just like the announcements and conditions he had set at the start of the negotiations on an agreement. "We cannot be a player in the internal Palestinian arena," one of the sources said.
The Palestinian president said Thursday that "this decision is not for the purpose of manipulation or tactics," but for the moment it appears that Jerusalem view Abbas' declaration as a political maneuver ahead of the elections, which are scheduled to take place in late January.
Nonetheless, Israel is taking into account that Abbas will not renege on his announcement and will act on his threats, while the Jewish state will be forced to deal with a different Palestinian leader.
The Americans too appeared unimpressed by Abbas' declaration. A State Department official told Ynet, "We are expecting to continue working in cooperation with President Abbas, whose leadership is greatly enjoyed by the Palestinian people."
The US administration completely ignored the Palestinian president's remarks about being disappointed by the American stance in terms of Jewish settlements.
The American source noted, "We have a great amount of respect for President Abbas, who is a historic leader of the Palestinian people and the United States' partner. His commitment to make life better for the Palestinians advances his people's opportunities, and his pursuit of a two-state solution offers the only way in which the Palestinians can achieve the legitimate aspirations for independence and for a state of their own."
Abbas' Fatah organization responded in a reserved manner to the fact that hours after his speech, masses did not take to the street to urge him to stay in office. "It's Friday night and the hour is late," explained a Fatah activist, who was one of the organizers of a parade which took place in Ramallah and in which dozens of people marched from the city center to the Muqataa, demanding that Abbas take back his announcement.
Dozens of cars carrying Abbas' picture in the West Bank city of Jenin were the second place where a very modest demonstration took place, but a Fatah official told Ynet that an organized rally was expected to be organized next week by Fatah's main and regional institutions.
"Fatah people will take to the streets in parades, huge rallies and delegations to Abu Mazen to try to convince him not to act on his threat," the source said.
Attila Somfalvi, Ali Waked and Yitzhak Benhorin contributed to this report
