CAIRO- The Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has returned to Palestine a hero on Sunday as he was greeted by thousands of cheering, flag-waving Palestinians. When he arrived in Ramallah Abbas announced that the “Palestinian Spring” has begun following his speech delivered to the United Nations last week. Much like the “Arab spring, the Palestinian spring is here,” he said. “A popular spring, a populist spring, a spring of peaceful struggle that will achieve its goal.” All the leaders of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) and Fatah lined up to meet Abbas and to shake his hand. Many have embraced Abbas as their best hope for a Palestinian state. Hundreds of admirers that had gathered to welcome back Abbas held up pictures of him with captions such as “You kept your promise,” referring to his promise to place his bid with the United Nations' Security Council (UNSC) for a recognized Palestinian state. During this, Abbas delivered a powerful speech to the people. “I went to the United Nations, taking with me your hopes and aspirations, your suffering and your vision of the future, and your need for a Palestinian state,” Abbas told the crowd. “There is no doubt that we are strong and steadfast, because of our merits, our legitimacy and our determination … Hold your heads high, you're Palestinians!” Abbas' speech, as empowering as it was, did little to convince many Palestinians of their chances in the UNSC with the American veto guaranteed to be used. “Abbas could be God himself, unfortunately even then America has the power to dismiss his call with a simple veto,” A young Palestinian living in Israel told Bikyamasr.com Despite this, Abbas maintains an optimistic expectation to the outcome of the Palestinian bid. “There are those who would put out obstacles … but with your presence they will fall and we will reach our end,” he said. Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator has expressed his hopes that “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would not miss a chance to advance a settlement of two nations based on the Quartet's suggestion.” Netanyahu is set to return from New York on Monday. He is expected to convence a council comprised of eight senior ministers on Tuesday While in the United States, Netanyahu made a string of appearances on talk shows, as well as an interview with BBC's Arabic service. During these interviews he stressed the same points he had made during his Un speech on Friday. According to one of his interviews, he stressed that the “core of the conflict” lay with the Palestinians' refusal to accept Israeli existence. He also mentioned his role as the one responsible for the “fate of the one and only Jewish state,” and he seeks to “erect the wall against insatiable crocodile of Islamism, before it devours us for breakfast.” “The Palestinians are worthy of a state of their own,” Netanyahu said. “I'm the man who can bring peace and recruit a lot of Israelis to support a peace agreement. Abu Mazen [Abbas] must understand that this is his opportunity.” Abbas maintains that the negotiations will not resume until Israel ceases construction projects in their settlements. Abbas' visit to New York has certainly left him in a stronger political position, although whether or not this will translate in change is doubtful as the US has already pledged the veto on more than one occasion in regards to the Palestinian bid.
