Does the Palestinian Authority have a future?

I don’t know if Mahmoud Abbas loses any sleep these days, but maybe he will after reading this post! I hear that he has complained that Iran has paid off Hamas to hold back on implementing the recently-formed reconciliation deal between the two groups. Talking of money, Gulf Arab states supporting the Palestinian Authority financially are well behind on their promised payments and don’t seem to be responding to even Western and UN appeals to stump up what’s needed to fill the PA’s “funding gap” (good phrase meaning “overdraft” – must try that on my bank manager). Perhaps this is why representatives from the PA are now forced to negotiate with Israel for a release of taxes instead of prisoners!

This week UNESCO presented a report on the PA’s progress to the EU Palestinian donors’ conference. The report says that, “The Palestinian state-building achievement is at increased risk” and gives finances and a lack of “a credible political horizon” as the main reasons. Shortened, equals “lack of money and lack of progress on peace with Israel”. Read more of this post