Abbas Threatens Resignation If Peace Talks Do Not Change

Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, expressed disappointment regarding the resumption of political talks between Israel and the Palestinians, stating that if conditions do not change in the next three months, he will resign from the leadership of the Palestinian government. Abbas made this warning on Monday, September 30, during a meeting with several former Israeli ambassadors. According to regional media, Mahmoud Abbas, during this meeting in Paris as part of his European tour, called for the Israeli Prime Minister to also demonstrate a 'practical commitment' to a 'stable' peace process. Abbas made these remarks on the eve of his speech at the United Nations General Assembly. Earlier, regional media reported that Abbas would describe the Palestinian Authority as a 'political entity under occupation' during his appearance at the UN. However, the Haaretz newspaper on Sunday, September 29, cited European diplomats who met with Mahmoud Abbas in recent days, stating that he has no intention of announcing the dissolution of the Palestinian Authority or the cancellation of the Oslo Accords during his speech at the UN. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently stated that he is 'ready to resume political talks with the Palestinians at any time and place, but the Palestinians must recognize Israel as a state for the Jews.' The last round of Israeli-Palestinian political talks took place five years ago. Simultaneously, on Monday, September 30, Reuters published the results of a poll showing that 65% of Palestinians support Mahmoud Abbas's resignation from the leadership of the Palestinian Authority. According to this poll, 51% of Palestinians oppose the 'two-state solution,' while 48% recommend this political solution to end the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 65% of Palestinians in this poll stated that settlements are the main obstacle to implementing the 'two-state solution.' 35% of Palestinians said they support the Fatah movement and believe it has the right to represent the Palestinian people, but the same percentage also stated that Hamas should represent the Palestinian nation. Compared to the last poll conducted three months ago, support for the Fatah movement among Palestinians has decreased by four percent. This poll was conducted by the Palestinian Policy and Research Center among 1,270 residents of the West Bank and Gaza Strip in the second week of September. Meanwhile, in a campaign in Gaza attributed to Hamas, there is a clear demand titled 'Abbas Go,' calling for Abu Mazen to step down from power. Abbas, 80 years old, has led the Palestinian Authority since the death of Yasser Arafat ten years ago. In recent days, Israeli-Palestinian relations have become tense over the entry of several Jews into the Al-Aqsa Mosque, leading to new security clashes. According to Reuters, amid these unrests, the level of support among Palestinians for 'armed operations' against Israel has increased by six percent compared to three months ago, reaching 42%. However, 29% of Palestinians still believe that peace should be achieved through dialogue with Israel, although in the same poll, 78% of Palestinians stated that the likelihood of realizing their dream of an independent Palestinian state in the next five years is very weak, if not impossible.