Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas signed on Friday, for the first time since 2006, an order directing Palestinian Authority elections. Ehud Yaari, the commentator on Arab affairs of “News 12”, explained today (Sunday) in the program of Erel Segal and Tal Shalev on 103FM what led to Abu Mazen’s decision, and what its implications will be for the Middle East.
What’s the story of going to the polls now?
“Right now there is an announcement of an election with a date, but there are no elections yet. It is currently in the hands of Abu Mazen’s pressure on Hamas, because they have not reached agreements on a number of other issues and this is a good presentation for Biden, here we Palestinians are back on track. “During the months leading up to May 22, Abu Mazen has enough exit points, only one of which is whether Israel will allow East Jerusalem residents to vote in elections in which Hamas is an almost equal partner to the Palestinian Authority. Abu Mazen can always say that if there are no polling stations in Jerusalem, there is no point in voting.”
Who are these elections good for?
“Go on a joint list of Fatah Hamas and other organizations, come to the Palestinian voters and tell them this is your option, according to a pre-agreed division between Hamas and Fatah. They do not yet have the details of this formula. This idea stems from the fact that you can not expect Palestinian Authority security mechanisms. Suddenly they will change their skin and allow Hamas to resume clear political activity throughout the PA.
How can they reach agreements between them and why Abu Mazen’s insistence on Jerusalem?
“In the past, Israel in such and such methods also allowed the residents of Jerusalem to vote. It is true that the disagreements between Hamas and Fatah are enormous, but we are in a kind of maneuver. I think we are going to have a difficult problem with the Biden administration not because of him and because of Kamla Harris. “Israel is far more left-wing than Biden itself. Israel may find itself in unsatisfactory dialogue on this issue, on a trajectory of conflict between Iran and the Palestinians, although from the point of view of the Biden administration the Palestinians are not a priority and have no intention of making a major effort to reach a settlement.”
On the agreements with the Gulf states: “I think in the first instance the Emirates and Saudi Arabia will take a very similar position, if not identical to our position on the terms and way America returns to the nuclear deal. It is not a simple matter. The Gulf will stand with us Then I promise to see the emirates as well and probably Saudi Arabia trying to make a partial deal with the Iranians. They will not stay with us until the end. There is no sign that the Biden administration is trying to reach an improved agreement, they are going to return to the agreement as it is. There is no evidence that the Iranians are willing to discuss change. In the coming years, we will gradually see this agreement fade away. “
“We are not in a immediate confrontation because it will take time for the Americans to see how and for how long they return to the nuclear deal. It could take many months and in June there are Iranian presidential elections. We need a lot of dialogue with the Biden people.”