For the first time in years, a prime minister of Israel, Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid), spoke directly with PLO / Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud “Abu Mazen” Abbas.
A number of years ago, then Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu introduced a new policy of drying up the already irrelevant terror-supporting PLO leader by refusing to meet or even talk with him. This paradigm-breaking policy change weakened the Palestinian Authority allowing for the introduction and development of the Abraham Accords, which brought peace treaties between Israel and a number of the Gulf State, including potentially, Saudi Arabia.
This policy of ignoring the terrorist leader was continued by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. Though Bennett was undermined by Defense Minister Benny Gantz and other progressive members of his coalition who did meet with Abbas, with or without asking permission from Bennett first.
Prime Minister Lapid has not been in the office for a month, and he already called the head of the Palestinian Authority on the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, when Muslim celebrate Abraham’s sacrifice of Ishmael (sic).
Lapid wished Abbas well on his holiday. Abbas congratulated Lapid on becoming the prime minister.
Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked (Yamina) criticized her coalition partner Yair Lapid, and pointed out that with the introduction of the Abraham Accords, Lapid had a wide choice of Islamic countries he could have called to wish them a happy holiday. Instead he was unable to wean himself off the obsessive chasing after Abu Mazen who is going after IDF soldier in the Hague.
ברוך השם הסכמי אברהם נתנו פתח לשגר ברכות לרגל חג הקורבן למגוון של מדינות ערביות.
מציעה להיגמל מהאובססיה לרוץ לברך דווקא את אבו מאזן שפנה לבית הדין בהאג כדי להעמיד את חיילי צה״ל לדין.— איילת שקד Ayelet Shaked (@Ayelet__Shaked) July 8, 2022
Defense Minister Benny Gantz (Blue & White) met with Abbas yesterday, and apparently the political left will be using the Palestinian Authority for credibility building among their electorate ahead of the upcoming Israeli elections.
