Israel plays Hamas against Palestinians as Ross arrives
Palestine, Politics, 10/5/1997

It is not clear how the Palestinian-Israeli talks will resume today with both parties being over-occupied with the diplomatic and political aspects of what can now be named "Mishal-Gate" after the aborted Israeli Mossad attempt on the life of Khaled Mishal, head of the political department of Hamas, the Islamic Resistance Movement, in Amman some 10 days ago.

Palestinian official sources said they believe a new political role is being designed for Hamas to play in the region in an attempt to counter-balance the influence of the PNA. A senior member of the PNA cabinet said Sunday that Israel would like to see Jordan as the party strong and capable of eliminating Hamas military activities against Israel in order to discredit the PNA.

"It is difficult for me to guess what the upcoming steps of the PNA will be vis-a-vis Hamas. Israel wants us to combat Hamas while Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu releases Sheikh Ahmad Yassin," said the PNA official who did not try to hide his discontent at the recently-forged rapprochement between Jordan and Hamas.

The official said the PNA is not happy at all with the role played by US Special Envoy to the Middle East Dennis Ross, whose arrival in Israel today, Monday, marks the resumption of talks between the PNA and Israel. The official said that Ross has sided with Israel on a number of issues "taking advantage of differences within the US Administration on whether to exert pressure on Israel or not."

The US, said the official, wants to rewrite the Oslo Accords and wants to have a new start for the talks, with totally new terms of reference. He noted that the US has accepted Israeli claims on the question of Jewish settlements and has adopted Israel's demands that new settlement activities be carried out within the Jewish settlements and in areas adjacent to them as well as on the main roads.

"This leaves almost nothing for us and grants Israel a free hand in settlement construction all over the West Bank," said the official. He also criticized the US for not exerting pressure on Israel to implement the second phase of troop redeployment in the West Bank. "It looks like the US agrees with Israel's proposal to postpone the second phase of redeployment until next year or even leave the issue until the final status talks are convened between the two parties."

The official said that Monday talks, between Ross, Israeli foreign minister David Levy and PLO Executive Committee Member Mahmoud Abbas are meant to discuss the three crucial issues of Gaza harbor, Gaza International Airport and the safe passage between the West Bank and Gaza Strip. He added that the next round of talks, scheduled to start in Washington on 13 October, will embark on discussion of "concepts only" of the unilateral steps taken by either side, the security cooperation between the PNA and Israel, the nature of the final status agreement and the implementation of the outstanding articles of the interim agreements, including the further redeployment of Israeli troops in the West Bank.

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