Is Abbas Trying To Incite A Third Intifada?

Abbas is proposing a third Intifada:

Abbas, addressing a Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) meeting, reiterated his decision to seek full U.N. membership for a state of Palestine alongside Israel, a diplomatic move resulting from paralysis in the U.S.-backed peace process.

"In this coming period, we want mass action, organised and coordinated in every place," Abbas said. "This is a chance to raise our voices in front of the world and say that we want our rights."


Though the United States is expected to block their quest for a full seat, the Palestinians expect to secure at least an upgrade in their U.N. status during September's General Assembly meeting in New York.

Abbas's comments to the PLO central committee in Ramallah marked the first time he had openly urged popular activism in support of the initiative, echoing a call made last week by Marwan Barghouti, a leading Palestinian imprisoned in Israel.

Abbas does claim to want a peaceful mass demonstration...:

"I insist on popular resistance and I insist that it be unarmed popular resistance so that nobody misunderstands us. We are now inspired by the protests of the Arab Spring, all of which cry out 'peaceful', 'peaceful'," he said.

...two things belie Abbas's claim:

First of all, Abbas has lied about having stopped the incitement that has continued to rage

Secondly, where is the precedent for peaceful protests? The two Intifadas were not peaceful, and the the recent Nakba and Naksa protests have included the cutting of barbed wire and throwing stones.

Is Abbas trying to improve his street creds--especially in lieu of a unity government with the terrorist group Hamas?

No matter how you slice it, at the very least the Abbas call for mass protests threaten to only bring violence--and indicate either a deliberate attempt by Abbas to instigate violence or simple stupidity and disregard for the safety of both Israelis and Arabs.

Technorati Tag: Israel and Abbas and West Bank.