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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (Reuters)
Last update - 14:28 28/02/2008
Abbas: I oppose armed struggle, but won't rule out option for future
By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: peace process, Mahmoud Abbas 

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Thursday that while he opposes taking up armed struggle against Israel at the present time, he would not rule out the option for the future.

"I do not support a return to armed struggle at this point in time. But, at a later date, this could be an option for the Palestinian people," Abbas said on Thursday during an interview with the Jordanian newspaper Al-Duster.

Abbas added that the Israelis and Palestinians have reached a dangerous crossroads, as chances for a peace agreement by the end of the year sour.
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Abbas said the current situation calls for continued efforts to achieve peace through negotiations, adding that he has a mandate from the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian legislature to pursue talks.

He said Hamas also supports continued negotiations.

Abbas said the Palestinians have the right to choose their leadership, but stated: If "the people choose Hamas, I will not hesitate to resign as president."

Recent days have seen a marked change in the tone of statements made by the Palestinian president.

In a recent interview, Abbas hinted that if a peace agreement is not reached between Israel and the Palestinian Authority this year he would resign from office.

Meanwhie, Abbas' spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudeina, said Thursday that the Israel Defense Forces' military actions "meant only one thing: the
Israeli government ... aims to destroy the peace process."

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki said: "These stupid missiles being launched - firecrackers, but at the end they have killed Israeli civilians -- we condemn this, clearly, openly,straightforwardly," he said.

"But at the same time, we condemn all the Israeli incursions into Gaza, killing Palestinian civilians, destroying their houses, preventing them from having a normal life," he said.

Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas's top leader in the Gaza Strip, said in a statement "repeated crimes by the Zionist occupation against our people and the targeting of children are proof that the leaders of the occupation are suffering from hysteria."

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      1.   this is, in plain language, why there should be no palestine 10:42  |  don 28/02/08
      2.   Abbas should be behind bars for cold blooded murder 10:42  |  Pavel 28/02/08
      3.   his true colors 10:44  |  Natallie Durson 28/02/08
      4.   Beware, Israel! 10:48  |  Clickfool 28/02/08
      5.   Abbas, ya sharmute, PLEASE resign 11:15  |  Palestinian in UK 28/02/08
      6.   Dogs that bark ... 11:19  |  Cynical 28/02/08
      7.   "I do not support a return to armed struggle at this point in ... 11:26  |  Avihu 28/02/08
      8.   @2, pavel, not only abbas, all of them are criminals 11:35  |  vladimir 28/02/08
      9.   Compare the present report 11:42  |  Vladimir 28/02/08
      10.   Abbas should be realistic 11:49  |  Rafi 28/02/08
      11.   Bush, Rice 11:57  |  G Kaplan 28/02/08
      12.   Barak should be behind bars 12:03  |  Lataan 28/02/08
      13.   Oslo 12:11  |  One who remembers 28/02/08
      14.   Abbas- military option 12:22  |  iletzter 28/02/08
      15.   ya Palestinian in UK 12:27  |  also here 28/02/08
      16.   #1 no palestine? 12:32  |  faris 28/02/08
      17.   #7 nation-state? 12:36  |  Faris 28/02/08
      18.   Basic right 12:41  |  Jan Elshout 28/02/08
      19.   It is so obvious by now that all that Abbas and his friends want, 12:45  |  Nahum 28/02/08
      20.   Paralysistinians 13:05  |  Baruch Obamawitz 28/02/08
      21.   #4 CF 13:14  |  Moshe 28/02/08
      22.   The spirit of Peace. 13:14  |  Jean Van Daem 28/02/08
      23.   Left wing Jews look at your partner 13:16  |  Steven 28/02/08
      24.   Abbas has no idea 13:19  |  Joey 28/02/08
      25.   A pity that Israel doesn`t do same 13:45  |  Kenny 28/02/08
      26.   Why Would Put All Your Eggs In Such Basket?!! 13:56  |  BenArrobas 28/02/08
      27.   A Terrorist or a Liar ? 13:58  |  Moshe 28/02/08
      28.   Well obviously 13:58  |  Said 28/02/08
      29.   Khartoum Redux 14:07  |  Straight Talk 28/02/08
      30.   NOTHING CHANGES IN THE PLO 14:17  |  Ian 28/02/08
      31.   Arabs are not doormats - Shock! 14:20  |  Roy 28/02/08
      32.   get real abbas... 14:23  |  ravi 28/02/08
      33.   Abbas 14:28  |  Hilda 28/02/08
      34.   #22 Israel is destructing it self by its arrogance 14:29  |  Ben Sina 28/02/08
      35.   You want occupation? you get the response 14:30  |  Nicolas 28/02/08
      36.   "options for the future" 14:30  |  ChanahS 28/02/08
      37.   To Natallie Durson 14:31  |  David G. 28/02/08
      38.   It will be war 14:31  |  Keith T. 28/02/08
      39.   #24 you have no idea Joey 14:34  |  Ben Sina 28/02/08
      40.   Abbas should resign with immediate effect 14:38  |  Abu Firas AL Qudsi 28/02/08
      41.   #27 have asked your self about the state terror comming from I 14:41  |  Ben Sina 28/02/08
      42.   Abbas You Better Rule Out Any Armed Struggle At Anytime 14:43  |  Yosemite 28/02/08
      43.   ABBAS - Under Pressure.......!! 14:46  |  Stephen. 28/02/08
      44.   Abbas seeing the light 14:50  |  guy 28/02/08
      45.   to Rafi # 10 Roots of terror 14:50  |  Jan Elshout 28/02/08
      46.   To Clickdick 14:58  |  Oleg 28/02/08
      47.   there will never be peace as long.... 15:06  |  Arie 28/02/08
      48.   The childrens` graves in Zfat cemetery 15:07  |  Zvi 28/02/08
      49.   I want my cake and want to eat it too 15:12  |  Rustam 28/02/08
      50.   This is a threat 15:16  |  Eve L Dewer 28/02/08
      51.   Abbas,you traitor,from day one of the 2006 election you conspired 15:16  |  lakshmi 28/02/08
      52.   Abbas may be reevaluating his previous positions 15:21  |  British Leftie 28/02/08
      53.   In a LOUD voice...and a basic right 15:26  |  real vision 28/02/08
      54.   Solution 15:27  |  Jerry 28/02/08
      55.   #32 Not a threat - a warning. 15:29  |  British Leftie 28/02/08
      56.   What Is Going On In These Talks? 15:30  |  Yaakov Sullivan 28/02/08
      57.   Lets be honest here 15:35  |  Peter 28/02/08
      58.   Hysteria the guts !!! ...imposible hear the soccers game 15:36  |  The Dumbite Kid 28/02/08
      59.   Israel: We oppose targetted assasination of Abbas but 15:37  |  Proud Israeli 28/02/08
      60.   THIS IS THE MAN THEY CALL A MODERATE 15:37  |  zionist forever 28/02/08
      61.   Return to terror someday? 15:40  |  Ron 28/02/08
      62.   Abbas Knows 15:42  |  Ron 28/02/08
      63.   Palestine does not need a liar 15:46  |  Palestinian 28/02/08
      64.   Why Wouldnt He Want To Fight? 15:46  |  Simon 28/02/08
      65.   16 15:52  |  zionist forever 28/02/08
      66.   To boldly go ... 15:53  |  Charles Smyth 28/02/08
      67.   Abbas the moderate. 15:54  |  Jean Van Daem 28/02/08
      68.   # 1 don.InPlain Laguage this is supposed to be the peace partner? 16:00  |  JOSH 28/02/08
      69.   Excuse me but when exactly did their armed struggle stop? 16:01  |  MR 28/02/08
      70.   Leave now Abbas - You are an innefective Leader 16:01  |  B`Galil 28/02/08
      71.   I don`t understand 16:02  |  Lover of Peace 28/02/08
      72.   Ah H