Oh well:
In the interview, Rice said Israel’s relationship with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas should remain intact, as he is committed to the conditions set forth by the Quartet of Middle East mediators. She also lowered expectations for Monday’s trilateral summit in Jerusalem, saying: “What I would consider a success tomorrow is that we have gotten started.”… “The two parties have not talked about a horizon for a very long time. And we have now the complications of being in an uncertain time, in an interim time before the Palestinian [unity] government is formed,” Rice said in the interview with Haaretz, the day before her summit with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Abbas.
First of all, we’re not convinced that telling Palestinians to turn their guns on Israelis is a sign that he wants to make peace with Israel. But even if it was – and this is kind of crucial – he is certainly not committed to the Quartet conditions. The Secretary is simply incorrect on that question:
Some news stories require commentary and maybe even a clever title. Not this one: “Fresh from claiming in a meeting last week with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that he will demand Hamas recognize the existence of Israel, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said in an Arabic-language interview neither Hamas nor his own Fatah party is required to recognize the Jewish state.”
He’s whatever the opposite of committed is. Not committed?
References:
* Rice to Haaretz: This is not 1938, Iran is not Nazi Germany [Ha'aretz]
* The Oh-So-Moderate Abbas Urges Palestinians To Unite, Target Israelis [MR]
* Abbas: Recognizing Israel Not Required [MR]
Previously:
* Done and Done: Abbas Takes US Money and Cutting Edge Weapons, Tells the US That He’s Siding With Hamas Anyway
* Tell Us, President Abbas, How Can We Help You Today?
* White House: Sure Abbas is Powerless, But That Doesn’t Mean Israel Shouldn’t Give Him Land
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