PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) is expected to meet in Cairo this week with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to discuss relevant issues. Topping the list is expected to be the call to the PA leader to agree to resume diplomatic negotiations with Israel.

Seeking his demands on a silver platter, the Fatah faction leader, who position remains tenuous at best, is seeking a victory, an accomplishment to bring back to the people as he continuously drops in popularity, realizing his days in office are indeed numbered. Despite Israeli good-will gestures and concessions and mounting American pressure, Abu Mazen has refused to renew talks, demanding a total and unconditional Israeli cessation of construction throughout Yehuda, Shomron and Yerushalayim.

Speaking to a Kuwaiti newspaper on Sunday, a day ahead of his meeting with Mubarak, the PA leader stated of late, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has not made any significant contribution towards renewing peace talks.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)