Region | Palestinian Territories

Palestinians face crisis as Arafat is remembered

The Palestinian people find themselves facing a growing leadership crisis

  • By Layelle Saad, GCC/Middle East Editor, Gulf News
  • Published: 00:00 November 12, 2009
  • Gulf News

Yasser Arafat
  • Arafat posters still hang on buildings in the West Bank and his pictures are drawn on concrete walls erected by Israel to divide the occupied Palestinian areas and that separate them from Israel.
  • Image Credit: AP

Dubai: As tens of thousands of Palestinians gathered on Wednesday to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the death of their leader Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian people find themselves facing a growing leadership crisis as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has threatened to quit.

Stalled peace efforts and Tel Aviv's refusal to abide by UN resolutions, specifically in regards to colony expansion have left Abbas exasperated and the Palestinian people divided with little hope.

Speaking to his supporters after paying respects to the late Palestinian leader, Abbas said: "We cannot go to negotiations without a framework, we say the framework is UN resolutions, meaning a return to the 1967 borders. Also, we want a full stop to colonies," he added.

Analysts believe that if Arafat were alive, he could have prevented the split between Hamas and Fatah, but would not be able to face the insurmountable obstacles put in place by Israel.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said: "We have to be frank with the Palestinian people that we have not been able to reach a two-state solution through 18 years of negotiations," he said.

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