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January 14, 2005/Tevet 4 5765, Vol. 57, No. 20
Local experts: Abbas must prove himself
HANK NEYER
Contributing Editor
Zionist and a self-described moderate Muslim - both from Scottsdale - agree that the newly elected Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has to prove himself.
Devin Sper, author of "The Future of Israel," recalled that Abbas co-founded Fatah with Yasser Arafat and likened the new Palestinian president to a "wolf in sheep's clothes." Sper said he believes Abbas will not change in "substance" from Arafat, but will change in "style."
In a telephone interview with the Jewish News, Sper - who served three years in the Israel Defense Forces - said Abbas "has to be judged by what we know about his history," and said since the 1960s he has "supported the use of terror and, in fact, served time in prison for terrorism."
Sper cautioned that when an "enemy says they wish to destroy us, we need to take them at their word and act accordingly." He added, "If they say war, we have to assume they mean war. If they call Israel the 'Zionist enemy' - as Abbas did during the campaign - then we must assume that he views us as an enemy."
According to Sper, nothing Abbas said before or during the election campaign would lead one to believe he has changed his position. And, he added, Abbas said nothing to indicate that he intends to re-educate Palestinians that Israel does have the right to exist.
Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser, chairman of the board of directors of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy, agreed with Sper's assessment that Abbas has to prove himself.
However, in a separate interview, Jasser said Abbas is a leader who "has not necessarily been an advocate of terror as Arafat had been."
Asked to comment on Sper's characterization of Abbas as a "wolf in sheep's clothing," Jasser said nobody would know until Abbas "has proven what he will do as a leader among the Palestinians."
Jasser said hopefully the new Palestinian president "will be able to exercise the leadership necessary to not only come to the peace table but ... to end terrorism in all of its manifestations."
Jasser concluded by saying "eventually Abbas will have to denounce Hamas and Islamic Jihad for there to be peace."
Both President George W. Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon telephoned Abbas after the Palestinian extended an olive branch to Israel, saying "We extend a hand to our neighbors. We are ready for peace, peace based on justice."
Bush invited Abbas to come to Washington, but did not set a specific date for a visit.
The invitation was dramatic, however, in that it was the first to a Palestinian Authority president since the Clinton administration. Bush's policy was to isolate Abbas' predecessor, Yasser Arafat, whom his administration linked to terrorism.
Bush's reluctance to set a time for a date for a visit suggested that the pre-election hesitancy to openly embrace Abbas had not passed with his election.
U.S. officials have said that embracing Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, during his tenure as prime minister without allowing him to show immediate dividends helped scuttle his bid to wrest power away from Arafat then.
A public embrace now without showing results could end the surge of Palestinian optimism that accompanied the elections. And Palestinian officials say that Abbas needs results if he is to survive as a leader.
Ron Kampeas of Jewish Telegraphic Agency contributed to this article.
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