Abbas prepares to go it alone

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is hoping to urgently talk with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. It is a desperate attempt by Abbas to forestall any unilateral Israeli decision on borders with Palestine. Olmert has threatened he will decide on Israel's permanent borders if Hamas fails to renounce violence and recognise Israel's right to exist. As these conditions appear unlikely to be met, it therefore follows that Israel will proceed with its stated intentions.

In response, Abbas wants to continue peace and boundary negotiations. He is prepared to bypass Hamas and appeal directly to Palestinians in a referendum, once an agreement has been reached with Israel.

Abbas claims his reason for going it alone is because he is convinced most Palestinians want peace. Yet by taking an independent line against that of his democratically elected government, Abbas could be inviting civil turbulence where peace is already a precious thing.