Erekat: If negotiations fail, the PA will collapse

Saeb Erekat spoke at the Oxford Union on Friday night, although for some reason his statements do not seem to have been reported in English.

Arabic media reports that he resorted to his usual threats unless Israel caves to the demands of the people they supposedly oppress. (It is remarkable how the "oppressed" act like they have the upper hand, isn't it?)

This time, Erekat said that at the stroke of midnight on April 29, the PLO "will resort to international courts, and United Nations bodies and we will join calls for an economic boycott" of Israel.

He added that the Palestinian Authority is preparing an "attack" of lawsuits against Israel in The Hague, where the PLO has prepared 50 petitions to be ready in the event of the likely failure of the negotiations.

Then he said that after April 29, "You can not maintain the [PA] government at its current status. If Kerry's negotiations fail, the government will collapse and Netanyahu will be forced to take control of the West Bank, and this will be very ugly."

Of course, if the PA/PLO/"State of Palestine" collapses, then who will bring all of these lawsuits to the Hague?

If Israel is so hell-bent on expansionist policies, then why is threatening to dissolve the PA a threat - wouldn't Israel want to re-occupy the entire Judea and Samaria?

But consistency is not something to expect from a liar like Erekat. The chances that Abbas will willingly give up his power base is exactly as low as it was the many previous times that he threatened to do that.