Abbas Statements on Militants Monitored

- A prominent West Bank gunman carried a smiling Mahmoud Abbas on his shoulders Thursday, endorsing the presidential candidate and prompting questions of whether Abbas is playing campaign politics or identifying with violent groups.

snip

The highlight of Abbas' visit to the Jenin refugee camp next to the northern West Bank town of Jenin was his encounter with a group of gunmen led by Zakaria Zubeidi, the local leader of the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, a violent group with ties to Abbas' ruling Fatah party.

Zubeidi, who is idolized in the camp for his swagger and wanted by Israel for organizing attacks and sending suicide bombers into Israeli cities, took center stage in welcoming Abbas to the camp. Jenin was the scene of heavy fighting during an Israeli incursion in 2002 that followed one of the bombings.

Zubeidi and other gunmen hoisted aloft Abbas, who smiled and waved to about 3,000 Palestinians gathered around. Some in the crowd were armed.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37072-2004Dec30.html

..................................................................

What a shock !! ....Abbas has nailed down the terrorist vote.

In a related development, Israeli Vice Premier Ehud Olmert told a newspaper that after Israel withdraws from the Gaza Strip and part of the West Bank in the summer, further pullouts will be necessary. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon distanced himself from Olmert's remarks.

---

Israel has been quietly backing Abbas, considering him a moderate who has called attacks against Israelis a mistake. Israelis contrast him with Arafat, whom they shunned, charging he was involved in terrorism.

in light of his recent statements.

Olmert does have a history of, umm, "being ahead of the curve" on these
things. I was trying to decide if this was unauthorized running of the
mouth again, or a trial balloon.

WRT Abbas, I suppose the question would be if not him, then who?
(I know, Barghouti would be who, but I don't see any sign that is being
considered.)

My own completely unfounded opinion would be that he's trying to buy
some credibility for the elections, most likely with the consent and
cooperation of the Israeli government. I would not be surprised to see
him belabored a good bit in hopes of making him look "Arafat-like" until
the elections are done. His statement that violence must be renounced is
a big deal, I would expect he will be given a lot of political slack as
long as he sticks to it.

I think we've seen that movie of playing both sides of the conflict and propaganda meant for western press mean NOTHING.


Its a shame Abbas didnt have the cajones to renounce violence to the faces of al-aqsa while he was sucking up to them.

Personally, I don't think he'd be very useful dead.

Abbas is a practical man who wants to remain alive. The only way he could save his hide is to have done just what he has: majorly suck up to al-aqsa. The kicker might be that they just may murder him anyway should someone they prefer become a viable candidate.

So: I'd love to see the transcript in the original Arabic. That reminds me of Molly Ivins' take on the very Israel-despising, anti-Jewish Pat Buchanan's old speech: "Yeah, I liked it better in the original German!"

:toast:

Mr. Olmert is certainly correct in what he states: further retirements by Israel will be necessary in future.

While the security barrier is indeed a de facto annexation of a sizeable swathe of land, it does have two mixed blessing that ought to be aprehended by all. The first is that it certainly effect a tremendous reduction in the incidence of attacks against Israelis to the west of it. The second, as the estimable Mr. Pelsar has pointed out elsewhere in the forum, is that, viewed as a de facto border, the security barrier places the espanding outposts of "Greater Israel" fanatics squarely on the outside of it, and is at least a physical suggestion the whole might of Israel is not going to follow after their little trailer encampments after all....

Mr. Olmert, despite his several "faux pas", seems secure in his job.
The ship of state is not steered all at once, but one degree to port
or starboard, and then one more ...

I don't think I'm up for going over the fence again today, although
your comments seem well made, every barrier has an inside and an
outside. My take on the fence has always been that it is a defensive
measure, and that Israel being in a defensive posture (in some degree)
WRT the Arabs is the most interesting thing about it. A number of
other things about it are better understood if one accepts that the
thinking that went into it was defensive in orientation, e.g. its
placement.

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

for showing his true colors. If he didn't, the terrorists would have murdered him by now.