RAMALLAH, West Bank - A senior PLO official says President Barack Obama has warned the ineffectual Mahmoud Abbas in a letter that U.S.-Palestinian relations might suffer if the Palestinian leader refuses to resume direct peace talks with Israel.
| What, we'd pull the money? Fat chance ... |
The White House has been pushing Abbas hard in recent days to move quickly to face-to-face negotiations, but had no comment Saturday.
| Didn't we try this face-to-face thing before? Some camp somewhere? |
The PLO official says Obama sent the letter July 16 -- the strongest U.S. warning to Abbas yet. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the letter has not been made public.
| President Obama subsequently quietly upgraded the diplomatic status of the PLO mission in Washington, DC, as a pre-reward for future negotiations. They now outrank Taiwan, which is a genuine nation. |
Abbas insists he will only negotiate once Israel commits to the idea of a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem. Israel's prime minister refuses to be pinned down ahead of talks. |