Abbas hinges candidacy in presidential election on Israeli settlement freeze.Byline: Daily Star Staff Summary: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Mahmoud Abbas (Arabic: محمود عباس) (born March 26, 1935), also known by the kunya Abu Mazen told US President Barack Obama he would not run for re-election unless Israel dropped its refusal to freeze settlements, Palestinian officials said on Tuesday.Aa"[Abbas] told him that he would not be a candidate in the presidential election [in January] unless Israel abided by the peace requirement," said. Mohammed AssadiAa ReutersAa Aa RAMALLAH, West Bank: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told US President Barack Obama he would not run for re-election unless Israel dropped its refusal to freeze settlements, Palestinian officials said on Tuesday.Aa"[Abbas] told him that he would not be a candidate in the presidential election [in January] unless Israel abided by the peace requirement," said one of the officials, who are briefed regularly by Abbas and spoke on condition of anonymity.Aa The officials said Abbas made the comments to Obama to vent his anger at what Palestinians see as an easing of US pressure on Israel over construction of homes for settlers in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem East Jerusalem refers to the part of Jerusalem captured by Jordan in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and subsequently by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War. It includes Jerusalem's Old City and some of the holiest sites of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, such as the Temple Mount, Western .Aa However, Tayyeb Abdel-Rahim, a senior aide to the Western-backed Palestinian leader, issued a denial and described the telephone conversation between Abbas and Obamas as "warm and candid can·did adj. 1. Free from prejudice; impartial. 2. Characterized by openness and sincerity of expression; unreservedly straightforward: In private, I gave them my candid opinion. ."Aa Abbas, who has made a return to peace talks conditional on Israel ceasing settlement activity -- in line with a 2003 peace "road map" -- has threatened to step down on occasions in the past.Aa But Palestinian officials who gave details of his exchange with Obama voiced doubt he would do so now. Abbas' Fatah party, trounced by Hamas Islamists in a 2006 election, does not have another presidential candidate in polls planned for January 24.Aa "The Palestinian relationship with [the US] is very tense," one of the Palestinian officials said. "They have retreated from their previous position."Aa The US Consulate Consulate, 1799–1804, in French history, form of government established after the coup of 18 Brumaire (Nov. 9–10, 1799), which ended the Directory. in Jerusalem and chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat  This page is currently protected from editing until disputes have been resolved. had no immediate comment.Aa
At a meeting with Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of last month, Obama urged Israel to show restraint over settlements -- a step back from his original demand for a construction freeze under the road map that charts a course toward Palestinian statehood state·hood n. The status of being a state, especially of the United States, rather than being a territory or dependency. .Aa Netanyahu has ruled out a complete suspension of building within settlements, saying the needs of growing families must be accommodated.Aa Now, Palestinian officials said, Washington is urging the Palestinians to resume peace talks, suspended since December, without a settlement freeze.Aa "You negotiated with [former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud] Olmert while settlement activities continued. What's the difference now?" one of the officials quoted US Middle East envoy envoy: see diplomatic service. Envoy - Motorola's integrated personal wireless communicator. Envoy is a personal digital assistant which incorporates two-way wireless and wireline communication. George Mitchell George Mitchell may refer to:
Mitchell is expected to return to the region later this week to continue his pursuit of a formula to revive peace talks.Aa Erekat said Monday negotiations with Israel were unlikely to resume in the near future; this was echoed by Israeli officials.Aa He blamed Israel for the impasse im·passe n. 1. A road or passage having no exit; a cul-de-sac. 2. A situation that is so difficult that no progress can be made; a deadlock or a stalemate: reached an impasse in the negotiations. and urged Washington to do the same.Aa Netanyahu has called on Abbas to begin talks immediately without preconditions. Abbas has said he was simply asking that Israel meets its obligations under the road map.Aa Israeli government officials have expressed doubt Abbas could show flexibility toward Israel before the Palestinian presidential and parliamentary elections in three months' time. Copyright 2009, The Daily Star. All rights reserved. Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company |
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