Palestinian Terrorism Has A New Address: Mahmoud Abbas

A week ago The Wall Street Journal had an interview with Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal--Hamas Leader Nods to New Partners

Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal said his movement will make decisions about how to wage its struggle with Israel, including if and when to use violence, in consensus with more moderate Palestinian factions.


"How to manage the resistance, what's the best way to achieve our goals, when to escalate and when to cease fire, now we have to agree on all those decisions as Palestinians," said Mr. Meshaal in an interview with The Wall Street Journal in Cairo.

Mr. Meshaal also stood firm behind Hamas's right to armed struggle against Israel. Israel and Western powers have demanded that Hamas renounce violence permanently, which the group hasn't yet done.

Yet the Hamas leader's comments in the interview suggested a power-sharing agreement signed Wednesday between his militant party and the more moderate Fatah party could significantly change the Palestinian approach toward the peace process.

Mr. Meshaal said that decisions on "negotiations with Israel, domestic governance, foreign affairs, domestic security and resistance and other field activities" against Israel, would all be reached in consensus between Palestinian factions.

If Mr. Meshaal follows through on his pledge, it would mean that Hamas would no longer attack Israel without the agreement of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the Fatah leader, who has long opposed violence.

The implications are clear, as Dr. Aaron Lerner of IMRA points out: Abbas is now responsible for all Palestinian terrorist attacks:

That's it.

From this moment on, absolutely any and every act of violence against Israel - be it a mortar from Gaza or a rock thrown near Ramallah - is the responsibility of Mahmoud Abbas and the PA.

And what of ongoing violence? Every minute that Gilad Shalit is held captive by the Palestinians is an ongoing act of violence.

And thus, the responsibility for this ongoing act of violence is no longer the responsibility of Hamas - it is ultimately the responsibility of Mahmoud Abbas and the PA.

And don't think for a moment that Abbas has a problem with this, because unlike the Wall Street Journal's generous assumption that Abbas "has long opposed violence," Abbas opposes no such thing. Abbas does not oppose terrorism, he opposed terrorism when it is not effective.

Back in 2005, CNN reported on Abbas's pragmatism when it comes to killing Israelis:

A sign of Abbas' pragmatism has been his opposition to terrorism. In a recent newspaper interview, Abbas repeated his belief that the Palestinians cannot win a military struggle with Israel because they are outgunned.

"The only way is the choice of peace. It is impossible to liberate Palestine with the use of weapons because the balance of power is not with us," he said.

Abbas never opposed terrorism before, and if he thinks he can get away with it--he will use it.

Technorati Tag: Abbas and Fatah and Hamas and Terrorism.