Challenges to Abbas mount
GIL SEDAN
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
JERUSALEM - Mahmoud Abbas may want to make the most of the rather intensive world tour he embarked on following his White House meeting with President Bush, as he faces grave challenges once here turns to Ramallah.
Both the Israelis and Abbas' rivals at home have their own agendas, creating a difficult dynamic for the Palestinian Authority president.
Lack of progress on the Israeli track feeds frustration on the Palestinian side, and Abbas' failure to tackle Palestinian radicals reduces Israeli motivation to continue making goodwill gestures to bolster Abbas. Political tension between Hamas and Abbas' Fatah movement is rising ahead of July's elections, with growing concern that Hamas may win as much as 40 percent of the vote. Relations were further marred by disputes over the outcome of municipal elections already carried out in the Gaza Strip, with Fatah moving to annul voting in several areas where they fared poorly. Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon are scheduled to meet in the next few weeks.
The main purpose of the meeting will be to coordinate the withdrawal from Gaza, but Abbas will demand substantial Israeli gestures as well. Sharon, who wants to broaden his base of support ahead of the Gaza withdrawal, appears unlikely tofurther antagonize the Israeli right. He expressed disappointment with the result of last week's Bush-Abbas summit, comments that may also reflect political constraints limiting Sharon's maneuverability toward the Palestinians.
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