RAMALLAH, May 19 (JMCC) - The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will supposedly agree to a NATO troop presence on the borders of a future Palestinian state in a meeting with US Special Envoy George Mitchell in a meeting in Ramallah on Wednesday.
The stated purpose, which was reported in the London-based newspaper Al-Quds al-Arabi, has been to guarantee Palestinian security from the Israeli military.
Further speculation is that the decision is meant to deflect potential Israeli security demands which may be used as cover for territorial claims during the proximity talks between Israel and the Palestinians, which started this week.
A Palestinian state will in all likeliness be demilitarized and some type of troop presence will be necessary to guarantee security. Palestinians would most likely opt for a foreign militrary contingent as opposed to an Israeli one along its borders.