BICOM

Shin Bet head Yoram Cohen is reported to have told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee that Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas is reluctant to negotiate with Israel’s government.

According to Maariv this morning, Cohen appeared before the committee yesterday and explained that Abbas believes that it is implausible that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will agree to the same terms that had been discussed and agreed with predecessors such as Ehud Olmert. As a result, Cohen believes that Abbas views any negotiations with Netanyahu as a de facto concession in itself. An unnamed MK who attended the committee meeting told Maariv that Cohen explained Abbas “always carries with him the promises of former leaders and is unable to adjust to the reality of the current ones.”

Meanwhile, Haaretz reports this morning that Abbas has told US Secretary of State John Kerry that unless a formulated proposal to return to peace talks is received by June 20, then the PA will resume unilateral moves for greater recognition at the United Nations. Kerry has made a concerted effort since taking office in February to kick-start direct talks between Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Although Israel has consistently stated its’ willingness to sit down with the PA without pre-conditions, Abbas has insisted that Israel first freeze all settlement construction, agree to 1967 borders plus swaps, and release pre-Oslo prisoners. Kerry is expected to return to Israel and Palestinian areas of the West Bank next week in an attempt to make further progress towards negotiations.

The Guardian this morning says that senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat has warned that unless Kerry’s efforts bear fruit, then the Palestinian Authority itself might collapse. The report also quotes an unnamed senior Israeli official who suggested that such talk may be an attempt to coerce Israeli concessions prior to negotiations.