Abbas' only chance
By Danny Rubinstein
"......Late last week I sat with the delegates of the PLO Central Committee in Ramallah to get a taste of the atmosphere and hear what was being said.....Thirty delegates who came from Amman were particularly prominent in their formal attire. It appears that for them this was a festive occasion.
I saw people who in the recent and distant past held key positions in Palestinian political life......An acquaintance, a journalist, drew my attention to the fact that nearly all those present except the guests from abroad reside in Ramallah. He could not remember the last time Abbas visited Nablus, Hebron or Jenin, and decided that the PA chairman has not made such a visit since his election in 2005.
It was hard to shake the feeling that this was a show of heroes from the Palestinian past. The present and future belong to those who were not there, regardless of whether this means Hamas or opposition within Fatah. Such an opposition does exist, not only abroad but also in the territories, and among its spokesmen are Hani al-Hassan and Jibril Rajoub, and possibly Marwan Barghouti. They are asking to hold a dialogue with Hamas, not just fight against it. Abbas' success is greatly dependent on the political steps of the Israeli government, which is, more than anyone, responsible for his weakness. Nonetheless, Abbas must make order in Fatah, hold a general conference and internal elections. Otherwise, he stands no chance of success. "
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