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The Associated Press reported:
President Barack Obama warned Mahmoud Abbas in a letter that U.S.-Palestinian relations might suffer if the Palestinian leader refuses to resume direct peace talks with Israel, a senior PLO official said Saturday.
The White House had no comment Saturday. However, the Obama administration has been pushing Abbas hard in recent days to move quickly to face-to-face negotiations.
If, in fact, this story is accurate, it is a welcome development. A negotiated peace agreement can only be achieved through direct bilateral negotiations. Israel has repeatedly expressed its willingness and desire to launch immediate and unconditional direct talks. The Palestinian leadership has hesitated or worse, often demanding preconditions as an entrance price for even indirect talks.
With the Arab League having given its approval to direct negotiations, the Palestinian leadership has no remaining excuses for avoiding such talks. If the story is accurate, the U.S. may finally have reached the point where it won't accept additional Palestinian excuses for avoiding crucial direct negotiations.
Needless to say, given past Palestinian intransigence, it is entirely possible that Ramallah could counter with preconditions to test Washington's resolve. If so, the U.S. should respond firmly by imposing a penalty e.g., a reduction in non-humanitarian aid to the Palestinian Authority. Afterward, following the passage of a reasonable amount of time for the Palestinians to change course, should the Palestinian leadership continue to avoid the negotiating table, a downgrade in political relations should follow. Without following through should the Palestinians continue to avoid direct talks, the U.S. position expressed in the letter would lack credibility.
President Barack Obama warned Mahmoud Abbas in a letter that U.S.-Palestinian relations might suffer if the Palestinian leader refuses to resume direct peace talks with Israel, a senior PLO official said Saturday.
The White House had no comment Saturday. However, the Obama administration has been pushing Abbas hard in recent days to move quickly to face-to-face negotiations.
If, in fact, this story is accurate, it is a welcome development. A negotiated peace agreement can only be achieved through direct bilateral negotiations. Israel has repeatedly expressed its willingness and desire to launch immediate and unconditional direct talks. The Palestinian leadership has hesitated or worse, often demanding preconditions as an entrance price for even indirect talks.
With the Arab League having given its approval to direct negotiations, the Palestinian leadership has no remaining excuses for avoiding such talks. If the story is accurate, the U.S. may finally have reached the point where it won't accept additional Palestinian excuses for avoiding crucial direct negotiations.
Needless to say, given past Palestinian intransigence, it is entirely possible that Ramallah could counter with preconditions to test Washington's resolve. If so, the U.S. should respond firmly by imposing a penalty e.g., a reduction in non-humanitarian aid to the Palestinian Authority. Afterward, following the passage of a reasonable amount of time for the Palestinians to change course, should the Palestinian leadership continue to avoid the negotiating table, a downgrade in political relations should follow. Without following through should the Palestinians continue to avoid direct talks, the U.S. position expressed in the letter would lack credibility.