The Palestine Papers
NSU Email Re: Office of President Morning Meeting Summary

The NSU email discusses President Mahmoud Abbas's need to "interacting with people - refugees" during the Nakba day. An Israeli leak of information about the negotiations, stressing progress in the negoations. NSU member suggests President Abbas give an off the record briefing ; however, the briefing will be done by Dr. Rafiq - this is "quite problematic; especially since Dr. Rafiq doesn't have the exact details he doesn't necessarily knows what's going on in the PSN (Permanent Status Negotiations)."

Last Updated:

 

From: Wassim Khazmo
Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2008 1:21 AM
To: CD; LPU
Cc: Maen Areikat (Hotmail); Andrew Kuhn (Compuserve)
Subject: OoP Morning Meeting

 

The President doesn?t have meeting with foreign dignitaries today or tomorrow.

 

The discussion focused on the President?s activities during the Nakba day. There seem to be a building consensus on the need that the President make something extra ordinary during that day, especially in form of interacting with people- refugees. Lots of suggestions has circulated; ranging from visiting a refugee camp in Ramallah or else were in the West Bank, and giving his speech directly there. This is quite supported by everybody in the office, so I think it will materialize in something on the 15th.

 

People believe that the President should be more active publically and media wise during this period. According to Intesar the President is very much toned to this!!

 

I raised the issue of the Israeli leakage of information about the negotiations. The Israeli media reported the Israeli ?10%? and the Palestinian ?2%?. The Israelis are going aggressive that progress have been made in the negotiations; the Palestinian message; delivered by Dr. Saeb yesterday was that the discussions are in-depth and serious; so the general analysis arrived in all media outlets today that some progress have been made. According to the inside information though this is not quite accurate. So I urged the need to give off the record briefing to the main opinion makers/editors on what is the real situation around the Neg table. Dr. Rafiq agreed. While I suggested that the President be the one that does this briefing since he is the ?only? one well informed about everything, it ended up that Dr. Rafiq will do it. This is quite problematic; especially since Dr. Rafiq doesn?t have the exact details and he doesn?t necessarily knows what?s going on in the PSN.

 

Wassim

 

Wassim H. Khazmo

Communications Advisor

Negotiations Support Unit

[Redacted]

Website: www.nad-plo.org