socialmedian: Grave blow to fading hopes of a two-state solution

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Grave blow to fading hopes of a two-state solution | Ian Black

Source: The Guardian

Nov 05, 2009

Summary

Posters in Gaza, ruled by Mahmoud Abbas's enemies in Hamas, already scorn the Palestinian president as being "on the dustheap of history"." His announcement last night that he does not wish to contest the next elections is a clear sign he has been put in an impossible position by Israeli and American pressure to renew peace negotiations.

Yasser Arafat's successor as leader of Fatah and the Palestinian Authority is, say friends and allies, deeply frustrated by Barack Obama's failure to halt Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank and east Jerusalem — the Palestinian precondition for resuming long-stalled talks.

If Abbas does step down it would be a serious blow to already fading hopes for a two-state solution, though he insisted in his speech that it could still be achieved. Aides admitted he might be persuaded to his change his mind. Praise from the US state department suggested efforts would be made to do just that.

Abbas has been under pressure for months, but his decision not to stand for re-election was triggered by Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of

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