One day before Israel is scheduled to act on sovereignty, Abbas declares, "I want to talk with Israel!"

Do you remember when US President Donald Trump announced his "Deal of the Century" Peace Plan? Seems long ago, doesn't it?

It wasn't. It happened in January, 2020--less than 5 months ago. 

On january 28, 2020, US President Trump announced his new Peace Plan. It was designed to end the Arab-Israel conflict. 

Trump loved it. He called it, the 'Deal of the Century'. 

Trouble was, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas didn't love it. His reaction to it was swift, certain and predictable: anger and rejection. 

He started with his anger even before the Plan was formally announced. On January 27th, the day before the official announcement of the Plan, Abbas called for an escalation of violence "on all fronts" in order to stop it (here). 

Then, Abbas went on a diplomatic rant:

-"Furious Abbas 'gives go-ahead' to Day of Rage over Trump plan" (here, on January 28th)

-"Abbas on Trump peace plan: 'Conspiracy deal won't pass'
" (here , on January 28th)

-"Abbas: 1,000 ‘no’s to the Trump plan" (here, on January 28th)

-"'Slap of the century': Palestinians reject Trump Mideast plan" (here, on January 28th)

-Just four days later, on February 1st, Abbas announced he wasn't just going to reject this insult (slap of the Century) of a 'plan', he was cutting all ties with both the US and Israel because of it (here).

-By February 6th, Israel had already seen a new series of terror attacks (here)--3 occurring on February 6th alone (here).

-On February 7th, Abbas declared angrily, "Palestinians will foil Trump's peace plan no matter who the victims might be'" (here). He added that his Palestinians "will fight the plan regardless of the sacrifices" (ibid).

-The next day, February 8th, Abbas lashed out at Trump, saying in a speech in Arabic that Trump took over the peace process--and did nothing (here). 

-Days later, at the UN, on February 12th, Abbas spoke to the UN,  condemning the Plan: "Palestinian leader Abbas slams Trump’s peace plan at UN" (here). He "warned" that "violent protests could break out" because of it (ibid).

This has been the tone and content of Abbas' remarks since January, 2020. He rejects, absolutely rejects, the Trump Plan. He won't talk about it. He will no longer speak to the US about it-or, about anything! (here).

Then, a little more than four months later, on June 9th, with less than three weeks to go to Israel's scheduled sovereignty announcement (July 1st), Abbas's Prime Minister announced that the Palestinian Authority (PA) had drafted a "counter-proposal" to the Trump Plan (here). But this "counter-proposal" wasn't going to go to Trump. It would instead go to the Quartet of Mideast mediators--currently not functioning, currently moribund--a group that's made up of the US, the EU, the UN and Russia. 

While short on detail, this 'offer' appeared to contain a proposal for a demilitarized Palestinian state, 'minor' border adjustments and some land swaps with Israel. The offer also requested the UN to supervise the agreed-upon peace (here). As announced, there appeared to be no Palestinian interest stated in this draft for direct talks with Israel.

This PA announcement didn't get anywhere. There have been no real responses to it. It seems to have fallen on deaf ears.

But now, today, June 30th, literally hours away from Israel's July 1 deadline to begin announcing sovereignty decisions, Abbas has changed his tune. He's no longer talking about trying to kill the Trump Plan. He's no longer refusing to negotiate anything with Israel. 

Now, he wants to advance this 'counter-proposal' (above); and he wants to get serious with it. He wants to discuss it through direct talks with Israel (here). 

This call for direct talks is new. It represents a dramatic change in stance by Abbas.

But there's a catch: the offer for direct talks stands only so long as Israel halts its commitment to act on sovereignty. Indeed, the offer for direct talks will be immediately withdrawn if Israel annexes (declares sovereignty over) anything beginning tomorrow, July 1.

This is new--direct talks with Israel. Is it so tempting that Israel will halt its movement towards sovereignty announcements and sit down with Abbas? 

My uneducated guess is, yes--Israel will halt its plans for sovereignty, at least for the moment. I think Israel will halt sovereignty actions right now because it has so many internal conflicts right now over sovereignty--and so many unresolved issues with the details of the Trump Plan, which is linked to sovereignty actions--there's a possibility that Israel will seek at least some type of temporary refuge from these conflicts and issues and grab onto this offer for direct talks. 

Will Israel accept this offer? Will it drop talk of sovereignty, at least for now?

Stay tuned.