Israel, the rescue of Abu Mazen and the Palestinian economy

After the formation of the heterogeneous Israeli coalition, in which the center, the left and an Arab party have a majority, the question in June was not whethe

Israel, the rescue of Abu Mazen and the Palestinian economy

After the formation of the heterogeneous Israeli coalition, in which the center, the left and an Arab party have a majority, the question in June was not whether a meeting was to be held with the Palestinian National Authority (ANP), Abu Mazen , if not when. Since the prime minister in the first two years of the government of rotation is the right-wing Naphtali Bennett contrary to the creation of a Palestinian state, the other question was who of the two centrist leaders would be the one who dialogara face to face with the veteran RAIS: The Minister of Defense, Benny Gantz or the Outdoor and Premier Holder starting at 2023, Yair Lapid.

Finally it has been a Gantz that, after receiving Bennett's green light, has become the Prime Minister of Israel to meet in Ramala with Abu Mazen since 2010, thus breaking a decade of rupture in the era of Benjamin Netanyahu. The maximum leader of the ANP since the elections in 2005 met with President Simón Peres in 2013. Netanyahu and Abu Mazen maintained a brief meeting in Jerusalem during the funeral of Peres in 2016. Two years before the last great initiative of peace between Israelis and Palestinians led by Barack Obama and John Kerry.

"I met with President Abbas to address matters of security, diplomacy, civil and economic, I told him that Israel seeks to take measures that strengthen the economy of the Palestinian Authority," Gantz said at an appointment where they basically dialogue on economic issues. and security related to the West Bank and Gaza.

Gantz has revealed this Monday some of the Israeli measures agreed with Abu Mazen, such as a loan to the ANP of 500 million SHÉKELS (132 million euros), the regulation of several thousand Palestinians in the West Bank (arrivals of Gaza fleeing of Hamas or after a long stay abroad), Palestinian construction permits in Zone C in the West Bank (under Israeli Civil Control and Safety according to Oslo Agreements) and the increase in permits of Palestinian workers in Israel.

At the Sunday night appointment in Ramalla - not previously announced to avoid risk to its annulment - also participated by the Palestinian Minister of Civil Affairs, Hussein Al Sheij and the Chief of Intelligence of the ANP, Majid Faraj. The meeting with all the participants lengthened two and a half hours while the encounter alone between Gantz and Abu Mazen lasted 40 minutes. "They treated all aspects of Palestinian-Israeli relations," heij said in a brief Tit in which he did not mention Gantz's office to not feed criticism on Palestine Street.

The Interestrators Hamas and Islamic Yihad groups have sentenced Abu Mazen to meet with those who call "Minister Zionist of war". According to Hamas spokesman, Fawzy Barhum, he "reflects a surrender policy". "He is a stab in the back of the Palestinian people and his sacrifice," adds Abdel Islamist Latif Qanou about the discreet meeting that ended up being media.

Abu Mazen's interest to celebrate the appointment was clear. Beyond the raw economic situation of ANP and the fact that Gantz and Bennett have already met with King Abdalla II of Jordan, recording the terrible relationships held with Netanyahu, Abu Mazen is committed to cooperation in terms of fear of fear That Hamas ended up controlling the West Bank as he did in the Gaza Strip in 2007, and despite the criticisms of Palestinians who accuse him of "cooperating with occupation".

Under strong internal and external criticism by the persecution of Palestinian dissidents, which had its most tense moment two months ago with the death of the opponent Nizar Banat at the hands of ENT, Abu Mazen expects that in the coming months he can meet with the president American Joe Biden. The resumption of direct dialogue with the Israeli government would accelerate the invitation of the White House although in any case it maintains excellent relations with the Biden Administration, in contrast to the hard confrontation it had with President Donald Trump in the wake of the transfer of the US Embassy a Jerusalem.

The most Israeli nationalist sector, which does not forgive or forgive Bennett his covenant with the center-left and an Arabic training, has accused him of giving Green Light to Gantz to meet with Abu Mazen that "has led Israel to the International Criminal Court to Through slander and pay homage and finances Palestinian terrorists in Israeli prisons. "

In the surroundings of Bennett, the importance of the meeting in Ramala, clarifying that "treated only routine safety issues and how to help improve the Palestinian economy" and, in no case, it is the beginning of a negotiating process on the conflict.

Unlike Gantz, Lapid and the left flank in your government, Bennett opposes the solution of two states. The new government, he said in his recent visit to the US where he met with Biden, will not take about it any decision desired by its members on the right (annexation of the area of settlements in the western bank occupied in the 67) On the left (creation of a Palestinian state with Israel) to avoid crumbling.

The new coalition tries to modify the direction of the last years in which Netanyahu cornered Abu Mazen in Ramala and tolerated somehow the Hamas regime in Gaza. Now, the goal is to weaken Hamas and strengthen Abu Mazen although the price could be a new climbing with the Gaza's inter-artist group, which in recent weeks has heated the border with the launch of a projectile, crashes and launching of burning balloons . Hamas opposes the will of Israel, Abu Mazen and the UN that the ANP who can channel economic aid to the Paupérima Strip of Gaza under its control.

Under the US umbrella, Israel and the ANP approach officially and publicly, although the solution to the conflict remains very far away.

Date Of Update: 04 September 2021, 13:33