“It may seem strange that Israelis seem far more concerned about the resignation of Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad than the Palestinians. Israelis, along with the US and European states, value Fayyad – a former IMF economist who has been focused on building a Palestinian state from the ground up and has shown little interest in posturing at the UN.

But it was these very same characteristics that left Palestinians cold. Appointed to his role in 2007 by a decree of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and kept in place thanks to international pressure, polls showed he had little traction as an independent candidate. Lately his differences with Abbas had become increasingly explicit, and Fatah officials, frustrated at being kept away from the power and the money, worked to undermine him.

What explains Israel’s appreciation of Fayyad? The cynical view was that Fayyad was a convenient lackey for Israel to ‘subcontract’ the occupation to. Perhaps some saw him that way, but I believe more Israelis liked Fayyad because he represented a different kind of Palestinian leader; one engaged in the practical work of building a Palestinian state that Israel could be at peace with.”

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