In a daring move that has produced sharp attacks from all sides, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas agreed to an invitation by Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz to visit him at his home south of Tel Aviv on Dec. 28. The meeting drew criticism of Gantz from his own prime minister and against Abbas from a wide range of Palestinian leaders.

But Hussein al-Sheikh, the lead Palestinian official responsible for liaison with the Israelis, told Al-Monitor that the visit was intended to send a final warning to the Israelis. “President Abbas made it clear to Gantz that we are witnessing the last opportunity before an explosion takes place, and that without a political formula the situation could easily blow up,” Sheikh said.

While the visit produced a financial bailout for the nearly bankrupt Palestinian government and a marked increase in family reunification cases and permits to Palestinian businessmen to enter Israel, Sheikh insisted in his interview with Al-Monitor that the bulk of the two-and-a-half-hour meeting was focused on political issues and the need to revive the political process.

Sheikh claims that what Abbas said is a mirror image of what the Americans have been telling their Israeli counterparts. “What we said is also what the Americans are telling the Israelis: that without a political process, putting all the efforts into an economic and security plan will fail.”