Abbas: Mideast peace deal won't happen with me

[bemildred]

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas this week countered Israeli and American claims that a Middle East peace deal could be reached before the end of his term.

In an interview with Egyptian television on Wednesday, Abbas also denied that either side has been pleading with him persistently to remain in office against his declared plan not to run for presidency in the Palestinian Authority's next election.

"If intentions are sincere, then I am still here and have been here for years - they could have reached a deal with me already," said Abbas. "If Israel is prepared to advance peace on the basis of prior agreements and in accordance with the outline laid out in the road map, then it can do so with any Palestinian leader that succeeds me." Abbas said he had made clear during talks with U.S. President Barack Obama that he did not see himself as likely to convince Israel to halt construction in West Bank settlements. "I told President Obama, if you can't halt why could I?"

His decision to step down - viewed by many in the international community as a political tactic - was final, said Abbas. "There is nothing I can give to my people, so I should quit," he said. "My decision is clear: I will not run in any elections."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1129308.html

[Scurrilous]

1. Marwan Barghouti: Peace talks with Israel have failed

<snip>

"Peace talks with Israel have failed and the Palestinians must launch popular and diplomatic campaigns to achieve statehood, Marwan Barghouti said in an interview from his prison cell, published on Thursday."

<snip>

"Convicted of murder for his role in attacks on Israelis, Barghouti was jailed for life by Israel in 2004 during the second intifada, which broke out in 2000.

From his prison cell he responded in writing to questions from Reuters delivered by his lawyers.

Before his arrest, Barghouti had been seen as a contender to succeed Yasser Arafat as Palestinian leader - a position assumed by current Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas after Arafat's death in 2004.

Though behind bars, he is still popular and still seen as a possible successor to Abbas, who has no obvious heir.

"In the shadow of the failure of negotiations and the absence of an Israeli partner for peace, the necessary strategy is firstly ending the division and restoring national unity," Barghouti said."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1129348.html

[oberliner]

2. Wow - look what got "snipped"

"I do not see that there are fundamental political differences between Fatah and Hamas,"

That is quite a quote!