Making Abbas Irrelevant

Palestinian problem is going through a very tumultuous phase. I don't say that because I am with Israel or Arabs. I say it because in the long run, it is in the interest of all of us that there is an amicable solution to this problem. Recent open support of US and Israel to Mahmoud Abbas in the power struggle between Fatah and Hamas factions of the movement is not good for the region. Israel, in an open gesture of support to Abbas, transferred 100 million dollars of withheld taxes to Abbas. Though it would help pay salaries to a lot of people in occupied territories, it also makes Abbas a western stooge. Palestinians, at least for two generations, would not forget the atrocities which Israel has committed in the last one year and when they will see Abbas standing side by side with Olmert, it is anyone's guess what they will think. Better would have been to funnel that money through Saudi Arabia, Egypt or Jordan. Next time when the elections happen, Hamas and Ismael Haniya would shout at their loudest about what Abbas did and who helped him.

I am sure that this administration is not that foolish to not realise what it is doing. By making Abbas irrelevant amongst Palestinian public, there would be no legitimate partner left for peace. And then it would be easy to say that we cannot deal with Hamas which is a terrorist organization. American foreign policy has truly gone for a toss and someone needs to kick out the dogs from the foreign secretary's office. We need the foreign policy of Clinton and Carter to kick start the peace process again, this administration hasn't got the guts or the wits to do it.