Abbas vows to pressure U.S. to stop Israel settlement construction - Haaretz Daily
I wonder exactly what kind of pressure Abbas can exercise. Does he think that his insistence on not talking will be some type of PR dagger against President Obama? If that’s what he means, then I think he’s not reading the American electorate correctly.
Or, does he mean that he will get the Saudis to put oil pressure on the US? But the Saudis seem to have abandoned the PA, not giving them any aid money that they pledge. The recent meeting of the Arab League started off badly for Abbas, and might have ended badly—behind closed doors. The concluding publicity expressed support for the PA, but until then, that support seemed to be lacking. The question, who has more influence with the Saudis, the US or the PA is not a slam dunk for the PA.
In fact, Israel might have more influence with the Saudis than the PA, since the Saudis are beginning to invest with the Israel as a hedge against another US economic meltdown (which they helped to create, by the way).
Perhaps Abbas thinks another UN Resolution against Israel will do something, or have meaning?
Arafat could always hold back the terror card. I don’t think Abbas can do that.
I don’t think Abbas even has a pair of deuces.