The participation of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in France's mega unity demonstration in Paris on Jan. 11 was apparently not of his own making.
A day earlier, the Secretariat of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) had announced plans to hold a rally in support of France in Manara Square in Ramallah at noon the following day. The Israeli press has since made it clear that Abbas’ participation in Paris came about to counter the presence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who insisted on attending despite opposition from Paris. Netanyahu, who initially indicated he would not be going, citing security reasons, quickly reversed his decision after his electoral opponents Avigdor Liberman and Naftali Bennett decided to attend. The French are said to have told the Israeli leader that if he came, they would invite the Palestinian president.