Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Wednesday the Palestinians are in a position of strength vis-a-vis Israel for the first time in their history. Speaking to the BBC, Erekat said American pressure on Israel would probably succeed and move the peace process forward.
The Palestinian Authority has been pleased in recent weeks with the tough U.S. stance on Israeli settlement construction, reflecting Palestinian complaints that construction in the settlements is a key obstacle to a peace agreement, one they say helped cause the intifada in 2000.
Sources close to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas say that the Obama administration has shifted the Mideast agenda, taking a tough position on settlements. Senior Palestinian officials add that even American Jewish organizations are unwilling to take a strong stance to defend Israel on the issue.
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