Haaretz: Abbas raises concerns to Obama on Kerry's security proposal
12/19/2013 8:51:45 AM
Haaretz Israeli daily has published in an article today that "Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas sent U.S. President Barack Obama a document last week in which he set out the Palestinian positions on all the core issues in negotiations with Israel. Abbas also outlined his reservations and concerns about ideas he has heard from Secretary of State John Kerry on security arrangements in the West Bank and other issues."
"Five Israeli and Palestinian sources close to the matter said that Abbas has decided not to make do with conveying his objections to Kerry or special envoy Martin Indyk, but rather to inform Obama directly of the Palestinian positions," Haartez reported.
"The reason for Abbas' decision, according to three of the sources, was his deep disappointment with the positions Kerry had presented to him, especially with regard to security arrangements in the West Bank in a future peace agreement. One of the sources said that Abbas left a meeting with Kerry on December 6 "boiling mad" and wanted to send Obama a personal letter. However, in the end he decided to write an unofficial memorandum, a "non-paper."
Abbas made do with sending the unofficial memorandum so as not to reject outright all of Kerry's ideas and slam the door on American mediation. Abbas hopes that the document he sent to Obama will influence U.S. positions, especially ahead of presentation of the "framework agreement" which Kerry, Indyk and their people are working on, at the end of January. The framework agreement is expected to include principles for resolution of all the core issues of the conflict."
"Five Israeli and Palestinian sources close to the matter said that Abbas has decided not to make do with conveying his objections to Kerry or special envoy Martin Indyk, but rather to inform Obama directly of the Palestinian positions," Haartez reported.
"The reason for Abbas' decision, according to three of the sources, was his deep disappointment with the positions Kerry had presented to him, especially with regard to security arrangements in the West Bank in a future peace agreement. One of the sources said that Abbas left a meeting with Kerry on December 6 "boiling mad" and wanted to send Obama a personal letter. However, in the end he decided to write an unofficial memorandum, a "non-paper."
Abbas made do with sending the unofficial memorandum so as not to reject outright all of Kerry's ideas and slam the door on American mediation. Abbas hopes that the document he sent to Obama will influence U.S. positions, especially ahead of presentation of the "framework agreement" which Kerry, Indyk and their people are working on, at the end of January. The framework agreement is expected to include principles for resolution of all the core issues of the conflict."