by Dore Gold
THE PROSPECTS FOR NEGOTIATIONS IN THE POST-ARAFAT ERA

Some highlights:

Abu Mazen succeeded Arafat as chairman of the Palestine Liberation
Organization and is the Fatah faction's candidate to become the next
Palestinian Authority chairman. Abu Mazen has become known for his
conclusion that the Palestinian reliance on violence as a political tool was
a tactical mistake. However, on issues of policy he is extremely close to
Arafat.

In 2001, Abu Mazen admitted, "Had the Camp David summit been convened again,
we would have taken the same position" on the permanent status issues

What emerges from the foregoing analysis is that a
full-blown, final status peace accord between Israel and the Palestinians is
probably more remote today than five years ago.