Israel to Offer Abbas ‘Package of Gestures’

23, June, 2007

by Mohammed Mar’i

RAMALLAH, West Bank, 23 June 2007 — Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will bring a “package of gestures” for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during Monday’s summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, reports said yesterday. The summit, which will also be attended by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Jordan’s King Abdallah, is meant to show support for Abbas and the emergency government he formed in the West Bank this week.

At tomorrow’s weekly Cabinet meeting, Olmert will ask the ministers to approve a decision to resume talks with Abbas government, headed by Salam Fayad. Israel suspended contact with the Palestinian Authority government when Hamas won the Palestinian parliamentary elections 18 months ago. Resuming ties will be dependent on the Fayad government’s accepting the conditions posed by the Quartet of Middle East peacemakers — recognizing Israel, disavowing violence and honoring previous agreements.

Ahead of the Cabinet session, Olmert will meet with Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni to finalize the proposed concessions to Abbas. He will also hold consultations with the army top brass. The proposed “package of gestures” will center on releasing tax monies that Israel collected on the PA’s behalf but withheld after Hamas’ election. It remains unclear which part of the $600 million in question will be transferred to Palestinian coffers.

In the meantime, Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Avigdor Lieberman of the extremist right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu party has slammed the Israeli government’s “package of gestures.” “Past experience shows that supplying Fatah with weapons and funds has increased terror rather than stifling it,” the hawkish minister told Israel Radio.

“It has been proved that transferring arms and money to Fatah strengthens terror elements. Even if we supply Abbas with F-16 jets he has no power or chance,” said the minister. However, following the establishment of a new emergency government headed by Fayyad, the United States and Europe have resumed financial aid to the Palestinians, prompting Olmert to allow the flow of funds into the PA.

An Israeli government source said that more concessions would be offered, but that a prisoner release is not on the agenda.

Further Reading:

Israeli authorities to provide up to $1Billion to President Abbas to continue domestic fight against Hamas movement