“Abbas possesses more power over PA than he admits”

The head of the Shin Bet security services, Yuval Diskin, said on Wednesday that Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas had more power in the PA than he claims to possess.

Speaking during a security cabinet meeting, Dichter said that “there is no calm on the ground, only a temporary lull,” and that the Palestinian militant groups are waiting to see how the disengagement from the Gaza Strip and the northern West Bank unfolds.

Mossad chief Me’ir Dagan said during the meeting that Syria’s President Basha al-Assad’s position was considerably weakened.

Dagan and Diskin both expressed their concern over the Lebanon-based Hezbollah’s attempts to carry out attacks in Israel.