Mahmoud Abbas: Pressing the Flesh for Peace

The Reluctant Guest
Abbas meets with Obama and Netanyahu in New York City in September 2009. The Palestinian leader was reluctant to participate in this photo opportunity, as he has been reluctant to join the direct negotiations in Washington in September 2010, because of Netanyahu's refusal to accept a settlement freeze or pick up negotiations where previous rounds left off. But the Obama Administration pressed Abbas to show up, and unlike his Israeli counterpart, the Palestinian Authority leader lacks the political leverage to say no to the President of the United States.

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