Palestinian Authority President said that he was not a party to the proposed deal by which the US would give Israel 20 F-35 fighter jets in exchange for a three-month moratorium on building in settlements. Abbas's comments came in an interview with the London-based daily Asharq Al-awsat published on Friday.
Abbas, speaking from Jordan, was critical of the proposed deal, meant to help renew peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians which stalled in late September, following Israel's refusal to extend a ten-month moratorium on construction in West Bank settlements.
"America is Israel's ally and we cannot prevent that. But attempts to renew negotiations should not be used as a pretext to provide Israel with more weapons," the PA president stated.
bbas met with David Hale, deputy to US Middle East envoy George Mitchell, on Thursday.
"I met Hale in Ramallah yesterday, but came away empty handed. He had nothing to offer or say," said Abbas, adding that he was waiting on to inform him of any new developments in efforts to resume the stalled peace talks.
The report added that Abbas was scheduled to travel to Cairo over the weekend to meet with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
My note:
First, I want to thank Abbas for informing everyone that he is not involved (ha ha ha!) with the so-called "honey trap" i.e Agreement between Clinton and the U.S. /State Department and PM Netanyahu. This certainly clarify matters for everyone.
Now we know!
Of course, "knowing" does not eliminate questions about this so-called "Agreement".
For instance, if this agreement were to benefit Israel, why would it take any kind of inducement, known as bribes, from the U.S. in order for Israel's government to accept the Agreement? And, if the Agreement is not beneficial to Israel, why would Israel consider accepting such a deal?
Preventing citizens from building and growing on their own lands is not beneficial to a nation.
Israel's citizens sacrificed and allowed a ten-month freeze, for the sake of peace. This did not impress the Arab Palestinians or Abbas and as the ten months drew to an end, the Arabs could be heard crying, demanding Israel continue the "freeze" until either Hell freezes over, or until the Palestinians agree to negotiating with Israel for "peace" - whichever comes first.What does Obama do next? He has the State Department apply more pressure to Israel to continue the freeze and adds a few bribes in the mix, hoping the Israelis will jump at the chance to continue the freeze. Never mind the fact that PM Netanyahu promised his citizens "no more freezes at the end of ten months"!
This so-called Agreement has caused a great disturbance within Israel's government and among its citizens. How much can the U.S. demand from tiny Israel, while the Arab Palestinians are allowed to sit back and have Obama jump high to their every demand? And how long can Israel trust the United States to keep its word, when the game plan changes constantly, to no advantage of Israel and no offerings from the Palestinians to even accept the State of Israel as a Jewish State?
More disturbing is the double-talk about the Agreement pouring out of officials in the White House administration. Crowely cannot be pinned down to even agree that planes were included in the offer to Israel; a written Letter of Agreement has still not been typed up; and now Abbas claims he does not want such an Agreement if it includes enriching Israel in any way, such as, 20 F-35 planes. All in all, at the end of a 7 hour talk and a week later, nothing is settled and the Arabs still refuse to continue discussions between Abbas and PM Netanyahu.Obama, step back - you cannot force the Arabs to discuss peace, when it is apparent that peace with Israel is not one of its priorities. Israel does not need the United States as a advocate, when there is nothing to mediate, as the Arabs have refused to talk - period.
PM Netanyahu, stop punishing Israel's citizens for the sake of a false peace; and Abbas, move to Jordan, or Egypt, and take all the Palestinian Arabs with you, since you cannot possibly expect to live within Israel's borders without first accepting Israel's right to exist as a Jewish State.
As for Israel depending upon a mere 20 planes for its defense, that is laughable, when one knows that Israel's ability to take care of its own security and safety is evidenced in the following video:
