Deputy defense minister: PA Chairman Abbas' time is running out

Deputy Defense Minister, MK Ze'ev Boim, launched a verbal attack on Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) on Wednesday, saying time is running out for him to meet the Palestinians' commitments to the internationally-brokered road map to Middle East peace.

"We continue to demand with resolve that Abu Mazen effectively deal with terror and dismantle its weapons infrastructure, not only because he committed to doing so in front of the world in the framework of the road map, but because he is endangering the existence of the Palestinian Authority and Fatah's control of the PA," said Boim.

According to Boim, "Abu Mazen's time is running out, although we are not ignoring the positive actions he has taken, albeit slowly."

Boim blamed Abbas for inviting Hamas to develop a political wing and unconditionally enter the political system in the upcoming elections for the legislative council.

Boim said that Abbas should demand that Hamas disarm, halt terrorist activity, and be barred from developing a political wing while simultaneously preserving and developing its military wing.

"This is the method of Hezbollah and is likely to bring about a Lebanonization of the Palestinian society," said Boim.

Hamas official: Group may talk to Israel if it quits Palestinian landsHamas would consider entering into negotiations with Israel if it withdraws from Palestinian territories without unilaterally deciding on the final borders between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, a senior member of the militant group.

In an interview published Wednesday in the Al Bayan newspaper, published in Dubai, Hamas official Moussa Abu Marzouq, the deputy head of the group's political bureau, said that Hamas is prepared to set up a government should it win the elections to the Palestinian Legislative Council in July.

Responding to the article published in Haaretz Tuesday about meetings between Hamas and Hezbollah representatives with American and European officials in Lebanon, Abu Marzouq said that "we said in this meeting that Hamas is prepared to talk to anybody, except for Israel. However," he continued, "should it withdraw from the Palestinian lands, there would be nothing to stop us from negotiating with [Israel]."

Abu Marzouq also said that Hamas is not in favor of establishing a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip while relinquishing the right to the rest of Palestine.