Epstein Secrets

ement activity. EFTA_R1_02031715 EFTA02690734 Article 2. The National Interest Abbas's Breaking Point Ilan Berman July 11, 2011 -- What could Mahmoud Abbas be thinking? The soft- spoken Palestinian Authority president, now in his seventh year in office, has never been known for the kind of political bri

estinian Authority's Middle Eastern allies has a considerable voice, when it convenes this September. But it is highly unlikely to pass muster with the Security Council, the UN's highest authority. That is because the United States, which holds a permanent seat on the Security Council and wields veto power over any

ement activity. EFTA_R1_02031771 EFTA02690785 Article 2. The National Interest Abbas's Breaking Point Ilan Berman July 11, 2011 -- What could Mahmoud Abbas be thinking? The soft- spoken Palestinian Authority president, now in his seventh year in office, has never been known for the kind of political bri

estinian Authority's Middle Eastern allies has a considerable voice, when it convenes this September. But it is highly unlikely to pass muster with the Security Council, the UN's highest authority. That is because the United States, which holds a permanent seat on the Security Council and wields veto power over any

elections in late 2012 and were scheduled to announce a transitional government in June. But Fatah leader and Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas's insistence that it should be headed by his current prime minister, Salam Fayyad, infuriated Hamas. The Islamists loathe Fayyad, who has overseen

nder of his shaky political house on seeking U.N. recognition for a Palestinian state in September. The gambit is unlikely to pass U.S. approval in the Security Council; even if successful, it proffers doubtful leverage in his tug of war with Tel Aviv. Although Syria is an independent state, in 44 years it hasn't

from recognizing the Palestinian state. The Syrian recognition also indicates that the al-Assad regime has decided to EFTA00587450 16 stand with Mahmoud Abbas's project, namely the Palestinian state, and not with the vision of the Hamas leader Khaled Mishal. It also means that the al-Assad regime has abando

are determined to go through with the drive for recognition, but it could take less aggressive forms: petitioning the General Assembly, rather than the Security Council, for nonmember status, thus sidestepping an American veto. The Palestinians could even propose a resolution that echoes Mr. Obama's formula for ta