Who Knew The Palestinian Arabs Had So Many Gripes Against Abbas?

Khaled Abu Toameh writes about The many contradictions of Mahmoud Abbas--apparently Abbas's string of threats, broken promises and disastrous failures have been noticed by his own people:

o After just one year of Abbas, Palestinians realized that Abbas was not serious about ending corruption and reforming the PA and Fatah--so they voted for Hamas in a parliamentary election.

o Top Fatah officials hold Abbas personally responsible for their failure in the January 2006 parliamentary election.

o Instead of focusing on reforming Fatah after the defeat in the parliamentary election, Abbas chose to seek ways to topple the Hamas regime – a move that backfired and further bolstered the Islamist movement’s stature.

o Abbas is also held responsible for the PA collapse in the Gaza Strip in the summer of 2007--when Abbas ordered his men to surrender to Hamas and flee.

o Some Fatah and Hamas leaders hold Abbas personally responsible for the fact that the Palestinians have been left with separate entities in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.  According to Abbas’s critics, thanks to Abbas--the Palestinians finally achieved a two-state solution.

o In recent years, Abbas has managed to confuse many Palestinians by sending contradictory messages to them and the rest of the world.

o Abbas has confused his own people by promising not to run in another presidential election, projected to be held in May this year. But now his aides are saying that the 76-year-old Abbas is Fatah’s only candidate, indicating that he will seek another term in office.

o Abbas has also confused his people regarding the issue of reconciliation and unity with Hamas.

o Abbas threatened that if the statehood bid fails, he would either resign or dismantle the PA. But despite his failure, he has not carried out his threats.

o Abbas’s talk about a third intifada has also confused his people: he has opposed a third intifada, claiming commitment to peaceful negotiations with Israel, and yet Abbas talks about a “popular intifada”.

It appears that the only ones not confused are those in the West who continue to insist that Abbas is a moderate and the peace partner Israel must deal with--and make unilateral concessions to.

I wonder if the Arabs find that confusing too?

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