Abbas' twisted logic

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' twisted diplomatic logic has had him do a charade on the world stage.

He has threatened to stop cooperating with Israel over the security matters. But he knows full well that Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon is right when he says this would hurt Palestinians more than Israelis. In fact, Abbas' own security chiefs have told him as such. But he keeps making empty threats that never materialize. Unfortunately, though, the street is taking its cues from the leader. Palestinian youths keep throwing Molotov cocktails by the dozen. As a result, 11-year-old Ayala Shapira is fighting for her life, her body covered with burns.

He wants Palestinian Authority officials to man the Gaza crossings, as per the understandings struck during Operation Protective Edge. Hamas has dithered on its side of the bargain, and as a result, the international community has not sent the hefty sums it has pledged in the Cairo donors conference. Having Abbas regain control over the border crossings was one of the goals of Operation Protective Edge. No other outcome was possible (unless Israel had occupied the entire Gaza Strip, which would have been a mistake). That said, experts have noted that despite the gains the PA reaped in the operation, Abbas is not keen on moving forward. The Arab states that agreed to give money to Hamas have eased some of the pressure on the organization in the wake of Abbas' foot-dragging, and it now feels less inclined to allow Abbas into the strip. But it appears that the calf's reluctance to nurse matches the impoverished cow's unwillingness to do the nursing.

We have now reached a critical juncture. Not only has Abbas drafted a U.N. Security Council resolution that would unilaterally declare statehood, he has also tried to expedite the deliberations and get a quick vote. Why? Again, this is all tactical. Abbas knows that come January, the composition of the Security Council will have changed. The new constellation may create favorable conditions for the passage of the resolution, which could prompt the U.S. to exercise its veto power. Since Abbas does not want to embarrass the U.S., he would like the vote to take place as soon as possible. In his twisted logic, he prefers to concede defeat now than win later.

That is why Israel must make sure the peace talks are not deadlocked. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's negotiating stance would have not been compromised by showing more generosity toward the Palestinians. Netanyahu may not believe in the two-state solution, but it is the lesser of two evils. Had he been more magnanimous, he would have unmasked Abbas and his twisted logic, which he puts on display time and time again. This would have helped Israel maintain its relations with Europe and the United States, which have been jeopardized by Abbas' move.

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