Abu Mazen has been saved - at least for now. Many Palestinian Authority legislators who gathered in Ramallah today feel that he has not delivered the goods as leader of the PA, and that the Road Map is dead. Despite this, the vote of confidence/no-confidence in his government was not held today. Dozens of demonstrators protested outside PA headquarters against Abu Mazen today during the session.
It now seems that Arafat's antagonism towards his former ally Abu Mazen has been watered down by an American warning that if his men depose Abu Mazen, it will be the end of Arafat as well. Arafat recognizes, as one of his men told reporter Tzvi Yechezkeli today, that if he doesn't "hang in there together with Abu Mazen, he will be hanging alongside Abu Mazen." Abu Mazen's remaining in power is thus Arafat's guarantee that he will not be exiled from the Mukata.
It now seems that Arafat's antagonism towards his former ally Abu Mazen has been watered down by an American warning that if his men depose Abu Mazen, it will be the end of Arafat as well. Arafat recognizes, as one of his men told reporter Tzvi Yechezkeli today, that if he doesn't "hang in there together with Abu Mazen, he will be hanging alongside Abu Mazen." Abu Mazen's remaining in power is thus Arafat's guarantee that he will not be exiled from the Mukata.