Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) official Saleh Rafat
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Palestinian Arab leaders reject Obama's call for talks. World media silent.
| In another slap to the face of the Obama administration, two additional major Palestinian leaders have forcefully said that they will not enter into direct negotiations with Israel. President Obama last week called for direct negotiations to start "well before" September. A member of the PLO Executive Committee, Saleh Rafat, said in a radio interview this morning that the Palestinian leadership would not bow to any pressure from the US on the issue. In addition, Fatah leader and commissioner Mohammed Dahlan gave a lengthy interview saying that the dominant Fatah party would actively fight against direct negotiations with Israel. Yesterday, PA negotiator Saeb Erekat was equally intransigent on the issue, again rebuffing the US president. For some reason, when Israel disagrees with the White House, it results in major headlines around the world, with commentators calling on the US to "get tough" with its ally. Yet the media is silent when the PA, heavily dependent on US aid to keep its economy barely above water, displays consistent and explicit arrogance against the US president. Curious, isn't it? |
