Israel has always undercut any possible peace process, but its tactics are big and small. Officials don’t have to start a war in Gaza to break a truce with Hamas, they can also just say things like “Abbas is the best Palestinian leader for Israel.” Thus spake President Shimon Peres today at a Rosh Hashana ceremony with foreign diplomats.
Fresh off his rhetorical win at the UN over Palestine’s weak recognition bid, Abbas needs to be smacked back down in the eyes of the Palestinians, and what better way than for such a figure as Peres to praise him as the best man for Israel? Subtle, and possibly effective. Not that Abbas is any kind of hero. Just that this is more evidence of how Israel operates — in bad faith.
