Abbas proposes discussing borders of future state
The Palestinian formula for the resumption of talks with Israel includes discussion of borders issue, which is not only the aim of negotiations but also the only way to sell renewed talks to the Palestinian public.
Hoping to contain the backlash following the signing of international treaties by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian team is looking to restart negotiations by focusing on the issue of the borders of the Palestinian state. In a gesture that is also designed to save face among the Palestinian public and silence critics, Abbas will look to chart real progress and give his team time to get organized by pushing the deadline on talks back to summer 2015.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) had begun reaching the conclusion that a resumption of negotiations was necessary shortly after Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki handed UN Middle East envoy Robert Serry the applications signed by Abbas on April 1 to join 15 international treaties.
The Palestinians' “retaliation,” which followed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to release the fourth batch of Palestinian prisoners, was carried out on the advice of Abbas' close advisers, in particular the head of his negotiating team, Saeb Erekat, who asserted that Israel must be taught a lesson for violating its commitment, according to Palestinian sources.
It quickly became clear that this hasty move, which was designed among other things to strengthen the stature and restore the negotiators’ standing in the public eye, actually hurt the PA and Abbas more than it did Israel. This, despite the fact that US Secretary of State John Kerry placed most of the blame for the crisis at Israel’s door.
