Last update - 12:20 20/10/2005

Abbas, in U.S.: Israel is bolstering my opponents
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/636147.html
By Shmuel Rosner and Arnon Regular, Haaretz Correspondents, and Reuters


WASHINGTON - Ahead of his Thursday meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush,
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel of strengthening
Palestinian factions other than the ruling Fatah movement by isolating the
Gaza Strip after the disengagement and expanding settlements in the West Bank.

"Israel's lack of regard for the road map is having a powerfully negative
effect on Palestinian society at an extremely critical time in our democratic
development," he told The Wall Street Journal in an article published
Thursday.

"There is a struggle under way for the hearts and minds of the Palestinian
people between the moderates and the fundamentalists," Abbas said.


He said he had created "a climate of peace" since his January election and
that polls consistently show a majority of Palestinians wanted to live in a
state at peace beside Israel.

"Yet this climate of peace needs the help of the U.S. and the international
community: For without sustained pressure on the Israeli government to sit
down and negotiate, Israel will only bolster those within Palestinian society
who do not share the majority's desire for peace," he wrote.

"Unfortunately, Palestinians cannot pursue the Road Map alone," he said,
referring to a U.S.-devised peace plan calling for Palestinian statehood in
Gaza and the West Bank beside a secure Israel.

"Israel has created obstacles in the face of a full and unconditional return
to the negotiating table and acted as if Israel can resolve the Middle East
conflict unilaterally."

Abbas met with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Wednesday night
(Israel time) to prepare for his meeting with Bush. Rice demanded that Abbas
bring order to the Gaza Strip.

The Abbas-Bush meeting, set to take place in the White House, is expected to
focus on Hamas participation in PA elections, the continued building of
Palestinian institutions, law and order in Palestinian territory and
negotiations related to the economic development of the Gaza Strip.

Before dawn Thursday, Abbas met with Meretz-Yahad head Yossi Beilin, who was
also visiting Washington. The Palestinian leader told Beilin that the purpose
of his trip to the American capital was to ensure that Palestinian elections
will be held as scheduled and without interference, despite Hamas'
participation. Beilin told Abbas that it is vital that the PA commit to
disarming Hamas immediately after the elections are held.

Before flying to the United States, Abbas completed a round of talks with
Spanish leaders in Madrid on Wednesday. He met with Spanish Prime Minister
Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and Foreign Minister Miguel Moratinos to discuss
the possibility of a Spanish loan to the PA totaling $120 million.

Hamas involvement is most complicated issue

The issue of Hamas involvement in the elections is the most complicated one to
resolve in the short time left until the January 25 polling. A senior State
Department official told Haaretz on Wednesday that the administration expects
to hear how Abbas plans to cope with the "inherent contradiction" between the
status of Hamas as an armed terror organization and its intention to
participate in the PA's political process.

"It is something the Palestinians are grappling with," the official said,
adding that the administration wants to know what the PA plans to do.
Palestinian officials have said in the last few days that the PA does not
intend to confront Hamas on this issue. Abbas' position is that Hamas should
be allowed to participate in the elections in order to involve it in the
political system.

The Americans will attempt to work with Abbas to examine various solutions,
including advancing legislation in the PA that would make it difficult for
future political activity by armed groups. Abbas aides say such legislation
could be legitimate only if it comes after the elections.

A Palestinian expert in election laws said Wednesday that if the PA decides to
advance such laws ahead of the January elections, it would have to do so in
the next few days, because the candidates are due to begin their campaigns in
mid-November. Many Hamas members expected to run have been arrested in Israeli
raids over the last few weeks. Palestinian law allows detainees to declare
their candidacy from jail.

Regarding the establishment of PA institutions, Bush is slated to tell Abbas
to continue to accelerate efforts meant to ensure the rule of law. Gen.
William E. Ward, who was responsible for dealing with this issue on behalf of
the United States, has completed his term. A replacement U.S. security
coordinator in the Middle East will soon be named.

Room for improvement in talks on Gaza
The Bush administration will also work with Abbas to pinpoint controversial
issues in the economic development of Gaza. The State Department official said
the Americans are satisfied with the participation of Israel and the
Palestinians in talks, but that "the cooperation can be improved." Palestinian
officials are expected to tell the Americans that Israel has been dragging its
feet in negotiations.

As for talks on the economic rehabilitation of the Gaza Strip, the State
Department official said the U.S. "would like to see the pace pick up a bit."
Several issues have yet to be resolved, including crossing points for people
and merchandise, passage between Gaza and the West Bank and free movement
within the West Bank (movement was restricted after the Gush Etzion attack at
the beginning of the week).

Another issue is the removal of rubble from the evacuated settlements; an
agreement was signed, but the rubble remains. Abbas is expected to tell Bush
about the problem of the hothouses in Gaza. The hothouses were purchased with
money from American donors, and 3,000 Gaza residents are now growing produce
there that will be ready for harvest in November. But if no agreements on Gaza
crossings are reached with Israel by then, the produce will rot because there
will be no way of getting it out of Gaza.

The Palestinians are also set to ask the U.S. to ensure that Israel freeze
settlement construction, an issue Palestinian officials say heads the agenda
for Abbas' talks with members of the Bush administration. The Americans,
however, are not expected to view this as a priority right now. At a Senate
committee hearing on Wednesday, Rice said in response to a question on
settlements that it is important not to forget the recent Gaza disengagement.