... a graduate of the prestigious unaccredited Patrice Lumumba University in Moscow with a doctorate in Holocaust Denial...
warned in an interview on Sunday that the international peacemaking
Quartet... The Quartet are the UN (xylophone), the United States (alto), the European Union (soprano), and Russia (shortstop). The group was established in Madrid in 2002 by former Spanish Prime Minister Aznar, as a result of the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Tony Blair is the Quartet's current Special Envoy....
will have "failed" if it cannot kickstart negotiations by January 26.
"If the Quartet can't get the Israeli and Paleostinian sides to the table by January 26, it means they have failed and the Paleostinian leadership will study its position and act accordingly," he told Paleostine TV.
January 26 is the deadline set by the international peacemaking Quartet for Israel and the Paleostinians to submit comprehensive proposals on territory and security as the group works to restart peace talks.
But so far the Quartet, which groups the United States, United Nations
...what started out as a a diplomatic initiative, now trying to edge its way into legislative, judicial, and executive areas...
, European Union
...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing...
and Russia, has had little success in coaxing the sides back to the negotiating table.
Israel says it wants talks without preconditions, but the Paleostinians want a freeze on settlement construction and agreement on the framework for talks before beginning negotiations.
With little sign of progress, some commentators have warned of the prospect of a third Paleostinian intifada, or uprising.
But Abbas, who has consistently rejected violence and promoted peaceful protest, said he saw little chance of that.
"If nothing happens, then all options are open to us, and of course there are people who say there will be a third intifada, but I say that is unlikely and I do not accept it," he said.
With peace talks on hold, the Paleostinians focused in 2011 on diplomatic measures, including seeking full U.N. membership and winning membership of the UNESCO cultural organization, over U.S. and Israeli opposition.
Senior Paleostinian official Nabil Shaath said in December that such efforts were now effectively on hold until January 26.
"But this political ceasefire will end on January 26," he told news hounds.
"If on the 26th Israel does not come up with a freeze of the settlements and talks based on the 1967 borders, we will continue our international drive."