US sanctions on Abbas may reinforce argument of PA's lack of political results, expert tells 'Post'
“The US measures may reinforce the argument that the PA’s diplomatic approach and its relationship with Washington have not produced sufficient political results,” Dr. Nabil Kukali told the Post.
Dr. Nabil Kukali, president and founder of the Palestinian Center for Public Opinion, warned that US sanctions on Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas may reinforce the argument that the PA lacks political results. The sanctions, imposed due to the PA's failure to maintain commitments under specific acts, aim to deny visas to PLO members and PA officials.
Dr. Kukali stated that while there isn't enough evidence to determine the sanctions' impact alone, they might weaken Abbas's camp electorally among Palestinians already critical of the authority.
Fatah supporters in the pro-Abbas camp may see the sanctions as external pressure, but Dr. Kukali cautioned against assuming a domestic political loss. He pointed out that despite the sanctions, American voters might still support Palestinian statehood recognition. Additionally, the timing of the sanctions is crucial, as the November 28 Palestine Legislative Council elections could be influenced by the international standing of the Palestinian leadership and public perceptions of its political strategy.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
