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Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has once again
poked his nose into Palestinian affairs. That’s the latest round of
negotiations between a Palestinian faction and Israel beginning tomorrow
in Egypt.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud
Abbas essentially responded with “mind your business.” Well, Iran has a
legitimate proxy, the Islamist Hamas, in Gaza.

Strident
in political and Islamic fervour, the Iranian started the row. The day
after Mr Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in
Washington DC, the Iranian fired a salvo. The occasion was al Quds
(Jerusalem) day.

He called the talks “death” and added
vitriol, saying: “Who does Abbas represent? Who gave him the mandate to
negotiate on behalf of the Palestinians?”

Mr
Ahmadinajed had support. Hours before the Washington gathering, Hamas
strongman in Gaza Mr Mahmoud Zahar, said Mr Abbas “has no right to
represent Palestinian people”.

Personally, Mr Abbas
remained mute. His spokesperson, though, Mr Nabil Abu Rudeineh, said the
same of Mr Ahmadinejad. He got downright personal — Mr Ahmadinejad not
only “suppresses” Iranians, but also “took power by fraud.” This implied
that a suppressor of fellow citizens cannot claim to liberate others.

In
different ways, Mr... >>>