Ramallah indifferent to Abbas' pending departure
West Bank city seems unfazed by Palestinian president's recent announcement that he will not seek reelection. PA source says street tired of Fatah-Hamas strife, disappointed by international community's disinterest
While Abbas' declaration was met with crowds pleading with him to reconsider during a Sunday visit to Bethlehem and Hebron, the Palestinian street seems mostly indifferent.
"The Israelis also understand that he is too important to the world to let him resign." The problem, he added, lies with apathy: "People just don't take to the streets anymore. For anything. People think this is some sort of game between the leaders."
Ramallah's streets, its central al-Manara square and the road leading to the Mukataa did not sport more Abbas posters than usual. It was business as usual at Fatah's Tanzim office in the city as well, where preparations for the rally marking the fourth anniversary of Yasser Arafat's death this Wednesday, are in full gear.
Fatah hopes that the planned rally will turn into a mass show of support for Abbas.
A local Fatah activist told Ynet that no one really thinks Abbas is serious about resigning: "He continues to lead Fatah and the PLO and there are no elections in sight, so no one thinks there is any immediate danger of him going home.
Pro-Abbas rally in Ramallah (Photo: AFP)
"You have to understand that Abbas' focus on peace talks these last couple of years has distanced him from the people," he continued. "This is why the masses are not crowding the Mukataa, asking him to recant his statement – that's likely to happen during Wednesday's rally."
The source admitted that the internal strife between Hamas and Fatah also influenced the street, which sees both factions as unconcerned with the welfare of the people, while caring only about their own political interests.
The Palestinians, however, seem more troubled by the international community's disinterest in Abbas' decision. "Obviously, the world is indifferent not only to Abu Mazen's announcement, but to the entire Israeli-Palestinian conflict," said Fatah Revolutionary Council Member Qadura Fares.
"It only goes to increase people's feelings that things are not going anywhere and there is no reason to take to the streets."
A senior Palestinian Authority source told Ynet that the PA was deeply disappointed by the international community's lack of reaction. "This guessing game – 'does he or doesn’t he mean it' – has no place here.
"This isn’t about Abbas anymore, really, it's about what he represents and about convincing the Palestinians that the moderate side has merit. If the world doesn’t respect a man who carried out all of his obligations, especially maintaining law and order in the West Bank, than what's the point of supporting the peace process?"
According to the source, Abbas will continue to head Fatah and the PLO regardless of the PA chairmanship, and would rather rebuild the PLO before turning his attention back to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process sometime in the future. "But I wouldn’t count on it. Who knows what Fatah and PLO's politics would be like by then."
