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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 Hah Phenomena 16:03  |  DoubleClick 28/02/08
      73.   To the Pro Israel Idiots 16:06  |  Ibrahim 28/02/08
      74.   abbas. make my day. only response to incompetent failed mouth pie 16:15  |  ralph 28/02/08
      75.   # 9 Vladimir...I wish he would explain why 16:21  |  Lynn 28/02/08
      76.   How`s that armed struggle workin` out for ya? 16:26  |  Mark 28/02/08
      77.   "Option for the future" (2nd try) 16:27  |  ChanahS 28/02/08
      78.   Abbas should be negotiating with his own people, not Israel... 16:40  |  Jordan 28/02/08
      79.   TREASON 16:46  |  Mohamed Malleck 28/02/08
      80.   In a fairly highly disciplined way Abbas stays with the conceptio 16:56  |  Albert 28/02/08
      81.   Was the Hamas prediction correct, after all? 16:56  |  Tosefta 28/02/08
      82.   40 Ibrahim,"dangerous to the state of israel"? 17:06  |  lakshmi 28/02/08
      83.   leftie brit 17:22  |  funkyyaya 28/02/08
      84.   lakshmi, please 17:29  |  Ibrahim 28/02/08
      85.   Abbas is the most stupid man I ever seen 17:30  |  Mohammed Aziza 28/02/08
      86.   #40 Ibrahim 17:33  |  Moshe 28/02/08
      87.   Abbas 17:38  |  sabra 28/02/08
      88.   last man standing 17:40  |  sabra 28/02/08
      89.   #40 To the Pro Israel Idiots quote from doublespeak 17:42  |  Chafeeka 28/02/08
      90.   Ibrahim the "man of peace"! Ha! I suggest you address yourself to 17:46  |  Daniel 28/02/08
      91.   while Olmert wines and dines him Abbas praises war against Israel 17:53  |  Israel 28/02/08
      92.   Does this sound like a man who wants peace?... 17:59  |  ralph 28/02/08
      93.   chafeeka 62 18:02  |  sabra 28/02/08
      94.   to Mohammed Aziza and to the other Palestinian voices here. 18:05  |  Nick 28/02/08
      95.   "The Israeli Government Intends to Destroy The Peace Process" 18:11  |  Tom 28/02/08
      96.   Haaretz censors Abbas 18:28  |  Full quote follows 28/02/08
      97.   #57 Ibrahim, I agree with you 18:55  |  fiona 28/02/08
      98.   "...he opposes taking up armed struggle against Israel... 19:04  |  nothing has changed 28/02/08
      99.   Haaretz fails to report main points of Abbas speech 19:14  |  Daniel 28/02/08
      100.   # 1 Don. An opponent of democracy 19:20  |  Nick Ferriman 28/02/08
      101.   Abbas Shoots Self in Foot 19:34  |  MichaelF 28/02/08
      102.   58 19:35  |  zionist forever 28/02/08
      103.   # 40Jean Van Daem Abass the Moderate Not! 19:36  |  JOSH 28/02/08
      104.   55 19:48  |  zionist forever 28/02/08
      105.   Jan Elshout: if you`re stupid, don`t post 19:58  |  Boris S. 28/02/08
      106.   Resistance Is Certainly Legitimate 20:01  |  Yaakov Sullivan 28/02/08
      107.   Abbasse no elbo no arse! 20:05  |  Nabulsi 28/02/08
      108.   Ok, Said from London... 20:12  |  Boris S. 28/02/08
      109.   Way to go Rafi from Ra`anana 20:34  |  L 28/02/08
      110.   57Ibrahim,you obviously read another set of news than I do! 20:36  |  lakshmi 28/02/08
      111.   # 54 tosefta..please cut to the chase! Long responses R,boring 20:37  |  JOSH 28/02/08
      112.   Clearly trying to negotiate has failed 20:43  |  Mark Lincoln 28/02/08
      113.   # 77 Nabulsi..Abbasse no elbo no arse! 20:44  |  JOSH 28/02/08
      114.   It is inevitable, that without a Serious Peace Negociations 20:45  |  Hamza 28/02/08
      115.   Abbas is showing that there is a limit to everything. 20:55  |  Becky 28/02/08
      116.   Chafeeka-gutter thinking 20:58  |  Ibrahim 28/02/08
      117.   To Ibrahim. Occupation & justice 20:59  |  Altalena 28/02/08
      118.   To 76 Yaakov. Occupation & Resistance ? 21:09  |  Altalena 28/02/08
      119.   Honest Abbas 21:10  |  Gene 28/02/08
      120.   Here we have "moderate" Abbas 21:15  |  KUTW 28/02/08
      121.   Abbas want to wait until they are strong enough to destroy Israel 21:20  |  felix 28/02/08
      122.   Aziza#58 - maybe that`s part of your problem 21:32  |  William 28/02/08
      123.   I oppose armed struggle 21:36  |  Outsider 28/02/08
      124.   Aziza#58 - a Palestinian free from discrimination 21:40  |  William 28/02/08
      125.   to Sais in London 22:07  |  TAZ 28/02/08
      126.   #37 Simon 22:19  |  B 28/02/08
      127.   Listen to the mouse roar 22:29  |  Truth 28/02/08
      128.   Tosefta #54 22:31  |  TonyL 28/02/08
      129.   Ralph and big lie 22:33  |  Truth 28/02/08
      130.   Israel`s double standard 22:44  |  Milo 28/02/08
      131.   There will never be peace 22:45  |  Ethel 28/02/08
      132.   Rafi dreams 22:53  |  Concerned American 28/02/08
      133.   #58 Mohammed Aziza 23:13  |  Moshe 28/02/08
      134.   gobbledygook 23:13  |  anup 28/02/08
      135.   #38 actually... 23:31  |  Faris 28/02/08
      136.   #76 - When "Resistance" Isn`t Legitimate 23:33  |  Tom 28/02/08
      137.   Milo`s Maths 23:37  |  Tom 28/02/08
      138.   Boris, please understand... 23:37  |  Ibrahim 28/02/08
      139.   Abbas, call him as you see. USEFUL IDIOT. 23:38  |  Mark C 28/02/08
      140.   He IS a moderate. He will shoot when the time comes 23:49  |  Ron 28/02/08
      141.   No future for Abbas 23:55  |  Ralph 28/02/08
      142.   # 76 Nabulsi..Abbasse no elbo no arse! Oh dear 00:11  |  JOSH 29/02/08
      143.   # 74 Jean Van Daem...Abass and other Things. 00:34  |  JOSH 29/02/08
      144.   #81 Milo 00:40  |  Moshe 29/02/08
      145.   # 74 Jean Van Daem..(FIFTH TRY)PUT OUT HAARETZ! 01:34  |  JOSH 29/02/08
      146.   No occupied people has ever given up the right to armed struggle 02:02  |  Tarik 29/02/08
      147.   Abbas is a reprehensible idiot 02:24  |  ELIAS KHOURY 29/02/08
      148.   Abbas is a traitor & finished as a spokesman for the Palestinians 02:32  |  Dutch 29/02/08
      149.   Short memory Tarik? 03:09  |  Tom 29/02/08
      150.   To Don: Unless Israel Responds to Abbas. Look for More Trouble 03:23  |  Dave Levy 29/02/08
      151.   Abbas - Olmert the Jackass` Partner for Peace 03:42  |  Tod Zuckerman 29/02/08
      152.   #87 Tarik 03:43  |  Moshe 29/02/08
      153.   Tarik is right 03:46  |  Truth 29/02/08
      154.   #71 Nick 03:59  |  Moshe 29/02/08
      155.   Mohammed Aziza. I will give my life for Palestine 04:32  |  Yaakov Sullivan 29/02/08
      156.   Tariq, exactly who is occupying Gaza? 04:37  |  David 29/02/08
      157.   Mohammed Mallek. No alternative, but an armed struggle 04:38  |  Yaakov Sullivan 29/02/08
      158.   Clickfool, I decided to come to Gaza to be a human shield, 04:40  |  Yaakov Sullivan 29/02/08
      159.   David and hypocricy 04:53  |  Truth 29/02/08
      160.   # 98 Yaakov....I wish you luck getting into Gaza 05:00  |  Lynn 29/02/08
      161.   Do any of you understand what Abbas is saying? 05:25  |  Johnboy 29/02/08
      162.   #98 - No Alternative but to Attack Civilians? 05:36  |  Tom 29/02/08
      163.   89 Dutch,94 Truth:Dutch,Edward Said once described abbas as 05:41  |  lakshmi 29/02/08
      164.   Yaakov Sullivan I pray you go to Gaza and become a human shield 05:50  |  Steven 29/02/08
      165.   #102 Also, don`t forget the... 06:17  |  Tom 29/02/08
      166.   Abbas was a FOOL 07:30  |  Candida 29/02/08
      167.   # 100, YAAKOV SULLIVAN 08:21  |  indrajaya 29/02/08
      168.   TO FARIS #16 09:11  |  Steve Beikirch 29/02/08
      169.   Poor old bored Steven, talking to himself # 105 09:39  |  Clickfool 29/02/08
      170.   Good, by all means join in on the attack Abbas 10:04  |  MaryRose 29/02/08
      171.   Abbas. go home 10:19  |  Mohammed Falouji 29/02/08
      172.   Israel never gave up the killing options 11:14  |  El-Birawi 29/02/08
      173.   Funny terrorist leaders 11:15  |  Said 29/02/08
      174.   Tom and David- do you even have a memory? 11:44  |  Tarik 29/02/08
      175.   To Nol 28 Said 13:30  |  American Christian 29/02/08
      176.   To Stephen No. 30 13:39  |  American Christian 29/02/08
      177.   What??? All those kisses with Olmert and he is violence? 15:13  |  Robert 29/02/08
      178.   This Hamas enemy is irreconcilable 19:30  |  Friend from India 01/03/08
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