Posted on 04/23/2003 12:59:34 PM PDT by SJackson
Background: Abu Mazen may enjoy carte blanche thanks to appointment drama
Aaron Lerner Date: 23 April 2003
While there were already serious concerns in Israel that Abu Mazen would enjoy an "automatic pass" policy from the Quartet, the drama surrounding the formation of his government has created an atmosphere that will make it extremely difficult for Israel to overcome the "automatic pass policy".
Under the "automatic pass" policy (the policy followed by the United States during the Clinton Administration) the Palestinian Authority is judged as being in compliance with its obligations regardless of what it actually does. Declarations and photo opportunities, as a rule, take the place of actual compliance.
There is already considerable evidence that Abu Mazen intended to exploit the automatic pass policy:
+ Abu Mazen enjoys positive press for plans to essentially rename one wing of the Fatah Tanzim (the "Al Aqsa Brigade" wing of Fatah Tanzim will be disarmed but the Fatah Tanzim will remain armed).
+ Abu Mazen continues to enjoy the "moderate" and "opponent of terror" labels while his declaration of "open hunting season" against Israelis beyond the Green Line remains in place.
+ The appointment of Dahlan, under whose leadership the PA's Preventive Security took a leading role in the production of illegal weapons and the coordination and implementation of terrorist attacks is viewed as a positive move rather than the negative move that it is.
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