“In lieu of violent struggle, [Abbas] pushes forward a two-pronged diplomatic campaign. One leg of this campaign features the building of the state-in-the-making by means of plans drawn by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad; the second, supplementary, leg involves the obtainment of international recognition for a Palestinian state.

Abbas is reinforcing the sovereign power of the Palestinian Authority by carrying out security reforms, and economic-institutional reforms. He is ousting Hamas from public venues in the West Bank, restraining Fatah’s Al-Aqsa Martyr’s Brigades, enforcing law and order, and encouraging economic development whose focus is strengthening the middle class.”

Read more…