The Sunset on Abbas

Two articles caught my eye from the Jerusalem Post today. The first article suggests that Israel Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz advised the Sharon cabinet today that Hamas is building up a "people’s army" under the nose of Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas in Gaza.

The second article from the Jerusalem Post that caught my eye concerns an old PLO veteran whose shoulder Suha Arafat chose to lean on during Arafat’s slow demise. Apparently, a PLO Executive Committee decision to name Abbas as President of the State of Palestine (in exile) has further aggravated veteran PLO leader Farouk Kaddoumi. Kaddoumi was one of the few PLO veterans that refused to return to the Occupied Territories with Arafat after the signing of the Oslo Accord. Think of him as an all or nothing kind of guy – no Jews pushed into the sea – no return. Arafat appointed him as the PLO’s official Foreign Minister for the last 30 years and the head of the PLO’s Political Division.

Once Abbas won the nomination for the Palestinian Authority’s Chairman last January he appointed Arafat’s nephew as Foreign Minister without formally advising Kaddoumi that his services were no longer needed. Kaddoumi claims that Abbas does not have the power to appoint anyone as Foreign Minister to the Palestinian State (in exile) as it allegedly contravenes the PLO charter and is in direct contradiction to decisions made by the Palestine National Congress.

Kaddoumi for his part commands a significant amount of loyalty from the old guard of the PLO and has been actively working to undermine Abbas’ authority within the Palestinian Authority. It is also suggested that Kaddoumi is spearheading the demand for an investigation into the alleged suspicious surroundings of Arafat’s death. For thirty years, he was Arafat’s conduct to the corridors of power in the Arab world. The Jerusalem Post article quotes an Abbas aid suggesting that Kaddoumi is receiving funds by the Iranians and other “Arab” countries.

What is apparent to this outside observer is that Abbas’ leadership of the PA is under serious attack from within the Palestinian Authority and outside sources. Abbas’ PA is barely functioning as a civil authority even for West Bank towns under the official control of the PA, and is, in fact, quickly spiraling into individual thugdoms. The PA has yet to announce the official results of the recent municipal elections held two weeks ago. It will be interesting to see if Abbas will announce the electoral will of the Palestinian people prior to visiting the Bush White House on May 26th. Frankly, I am intrigued to see what support the Bush Administration will offer Abbas during his scheduled May 26th visit to the Whitehouse. I don’t have a dog in this race but I cannot see how in good conscience the Whitehouse can continue to back this loser though I do hope that the Whitehouse will not jump the tracks and maintain that Hamas has reformed now that it has achieved a measure of electoral success, and therefore, can be counted on to act as "business professionals" or echo the Abbas line that they can be a viable peace partner to negotiations with Israel.