Abbas' comments were his latest gesture to Palestinian gunmen - viewed as resistance heroes by Palestinians and as terrorists by Israel - whose support he has courted during his campaign to replace Yasser Arafat in the January 9 elections. Posted on 01/02/2005 4:42:48 AM PST by M. Espinola
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas told hundreds of armed militants at a campaign rally in Gaza on Sunday that he would never abandon them, but would fight to protect them from Israeli raids.
Abbas' comments were his latest gesture to Palestinian gunmen - viewed as resistance heroes by Palestinians and as terrorists by Israel - whose support he has courted during his campaign to replace Yasser Arafat in the January 9 elections.
Though Abbas is the overwhelming favorite to win the vote, he lacks Arafat's charisma and street credentials. Even if he posts a strong victory, he will need to consolidate his support among the population and get militants to back his new government.
Israel has demanded a crackdown on violent groups, which Abbas has repeatedly rejected.
In an interview Saturday with The Associated Press, Abbas said Palestinians owe the gunmen a debt for their resistance against the Israeli occupation and they have a duty to protect them from Israeli attacks.
At a rally Sunday in a basketball stadium in the central Gaza town of Dir al-Balah, Abbas told thousands of Palestinians, including hundreds of gunmen, he would not abandon them.
"We say to our fighting brothers that are wanted by Israel, we will not rest until you can enjoy a life of security, peace, and dignity, so you can live in your country with total freedom," he said.
Abbas also promised to follow in Arafat's footsteps, saying he would not rest until an independent Palestinian state is established, Israeli settlements are dismantled and Palestinian refugees get their rights.
"The principles of Yasser Arafat, and his sayings, are his will and it is our duty to implement it," Abbas said.
Mahmoud Mashabat, head of the Jenin Martyrs' Brigades, a small, local militant group, embraced Abbas and kissed him.
After Abbas left, the gunmen began shooting in the air.
On Saturday, Abbas was warmly welcomed by dozens of Palestinian gunmen in the Rafah refugee camp, a frequent flashpoint of Israeli-Palestinian fighting.
During that rally, he praised Palestinian fugitives wanted by Israel as heroes.
Abbas' aides have described the campaign stops as election politics. But they have raised concern in Israel, which refused to negotiate with Arafat, who died November 11, accusing him of backing terrorism.
Ahmed Subah, an Abbas aide, said recently that the candidate's "real" agenda is "ending the Israeli occupation through peaceful negotiations, attaining security for Palestinian citizens and achieving reform and development."
Abbas must also figure out how to work with Hamas, the largest Palestinian opposition group. Hamas, which has carried out dozens of suicide bombings and is boycotting the election, although it has said it will honor the results.
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arafat without the diaper
A JDAM or three would have done nicely here.
Oh those darn politians will say anything to get elected.
This guy is such a good friend to the U.S.A. and Israel we should give the Palestinians/Jordanians/Philistines ANOTHER $ 1,000,000,000.00 U.S. Taxpayer dollars.....what the hey it's only paper and it's not like Greenie cant print up some more....
Eat drink and spend Mary's money.....
We need to end this charade and take out the Palestinians.
They are a big target in the war on terror. This kabuki dance is dangerous diplomatic weenieism.
The more things change the more they remain the same. It's just a different face, but with the same ideologies.
Let's see what happens when Israel drives a tank unit right up to the room his sitting in. I used to love it when that happened to Arafat. It must have been nerve wracking to know that the only reason why you weren't killed was because your greatest enemy chose not to exterminate you.
Yes I hope this is just a campaign promise that most politicians never keep anyway. There can never be peace as long as those terror groups remain intact and Abbas knows it. We will see what happens after Jan. 9th
Abbas, Arafat, Hamas, Islamic Jihad.............they wear different outfits but they say the same thing. Original, they aren't!
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