Abbas is stoking new conflict, Israel says
Palestinian president is ‘fanning tensions’ between Israel and Hamas by cutting payments for the necessities of life
HERZLIYA // Israel’s defence minister yesterday accused Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas of trying to spark a fresh conflict between Israel and Hamas. Avigdor Lieberman said Mr Abbas, head of the secular Fatah movement that rules the occupied West Bank, was trying to increase tensions by cutting payments for electricity and other services in Gaza. “Abu Mazen didn’t make a one-time cut,” Mr Lieberman said in reference to Mr Abbas’s nickname.
“His intention is actually to continue cuts and in a few months to stop paying for fuel, medicine, salaries and many other things. In my opinion, the strategy is to hurt Hamas and also to drag Hamas into a conflict with Israel.” Hamas seized Gaza from Fatah in 2007 and the two Palestinian factions have had hostile relations since.
The Palestinian Authority, led by Mr Abbas, had nonetheless continued to pay for electricity and other services in Gaza. But Mr Abbas recently said the Palestinian Authority would no longer pay Israel to supply electricity to Gaza, prompting Israel to cut supply this week.
The move threatened to leave 2 million Gazans with as little as two hours of power a day, prompting warnings that it risks retaliation from Hamas.
Israel and Hamas have fought three wars in Gaza since 2008, most recently in 2014.
But yesterday, the Gaza Strip’s sole power station was operating again after fuel supplies from Egypt helped to ease an energy crisis.
On Wednesday, Egypt delivered a million litres of fuel to the power station, three days after Israel began cutting electricity supplies to Gaza.
Two of the four generators at the power station resumed operations and residents would now receive about six hours of power a day.
Separately, Jared Kushner, US president Donald Trump’s sonin-law and senior adviser, met Israeli and Palestinian leaders on Wednesday in an effort to revive peace talks that Wash- ington acknowledged will take some time.
Mr Kushner travelled with Jason Greenblatt, Mr Trump’s Middle East envoy, to Ramallah, in the Israeli- occupied West Bank, for two hours of talks with Mr Abbas.
“Kushner and Greenblatt discussed with president Abbas priorities for the Palestinians and potential next steps, acknowledging the need for economic opportunities for Palestinians and major investments in the Palestinian economy,” said the White House. A spokesman for Mr Abbas said all major issues at the heart of the conflict were discussed.
At the meeting with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Mr Kushner was accompanied by Mr Greenblatt and David Friedman, Washington’s ambassador to Israel.
“The three United States officials discussed Israel’s priorities and potential next steps with prime minister Netanyahu, acknowledging the critical role Israel plays in the security of the region,” said the White House.
“The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to advancing Mr Trump’s goal of a genuine and lasting peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians that enhances stability in the region.”
Mr Trump has described peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians as “the ultimate deal” and made it a priority. As well as receiving both the Palestinian and Israeli leaders in the White House, he visited the region last month.
But it remains unclear what approach Mr Trump will take to resolve the conflict.
For at least two decades, the goal of US-led diplomacy has been a “two- state solution”, meaning an independent Palestinian state living alongside and at peace with Israel. But when Mr Trump met Mr Netanyahu in February, he said: “I’m looking at two-state and one-state, and I like the one that both parties like.”