Olmert snubs Palestinian talks ahead of US visit

Israel's Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, yesterday dismissed calls for talks with the Palestinian leader President, Mahmoud Abbas, saying that he was "powerless" to speak for his people.

Olmert said, "he is helpless. He is unable even to stop the minimal terror activities amongst the Palestinians."

This is, of course, a tortured logic; as Israel are also refusing to negotiate with Hamas, a group that can hardly be said to be powerless to stop the violence.

And Abbas has hinted that he comes with the approval of Hamas:

As his Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni, rejected a proposal by the Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, to streamline the exhaustive preconditions in the internationally agreed road map in order to hasten talks on a final peace deal, Mr Olmert added: "How can [Mr Abbas] seriously negotiate with Israel and assume responsibility for the most major, fundamental issues that are in controversy between us and them?"

Israel's stance was reiterated as Mr Abbas launched an appeal at the World Economic Forum meeting in Sharm El Sheikh for negotiations in which he, and not Hamas, would speak for the Palestinians and put the outcome to a referendum. He promised that the Hamas-led Palestinian government "will not object to this and will not create obstacles before these talks".

Mr Abbas, who simultaneously faces mounting internal strife in Gaza and the West Bank, said he would be leading talks between his Fatah faction and Hamas this week in an attempt to prevent what he admitted was the " crisis" over control of the security services from escalating into an all-out civil conflict. Mr Abbas said civil war was "a red line that nobody dares cross, no matter which side they are on ... Civil war is forbidden."

Israel seems determined to enter into no negotiations with the Palestinians and to impose a unilateral solution on the Occupied Territories. Promises to "consult" with Mr Abbas will hardly be enough to satisfy Russia and the EU, who do not share the US's pro-Israeli viewpoint.

Mr Olmert is to meet with several European and Middle Eastern leaders over the next three weeks, including Britain, France, Jordan and Egypt. All four are in favour of serious negotiations between Israel and Mr Abbas.

The US should take note.

Both Israel and the US have promised that any final borders will be subject to the approval of the international community, that same international community has very strong views on how those final borders should be agreed upon.

A non-negotiated settlement will be no more than a land grab, and even a fiercely pro-Israeli government like Mr Bush's would be well advised, with anti-US feelings running at a peak in the Middle East, to ask the Israelis to step back from this particular brink.

Resolution 242 demands a negotiated settlement. It is time for the US to show that she has the same respect for UN resolutions that she demands of other nations. In order to do that, she must force the Israelis to the negotiating table with Abbas.

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