Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas is considering cutting off negotiations with Israel and also may quit his post if Israel continues counter-terrorist activities in the Gaza region, Arab radio stations reported. PA officials cited the "daily killings" of Gaza terrorists by the IDF but did not refer to the escalation of Kassam rocket attacks on the western Negev.
One official charged that continued actions against terrorists will cause Fatah leader Abbas to rejoin force with the rival Hamas faction. The PA considers the IDF actions a direct result of American President George W. Bush's visit to Israel and the PA last week, during which he repeated Israel's right to defend itself without causing deaths of innocent civilians.
"Israel must halt its military attacks immediately to save the peace process," according to Abbas's spokesman Nabil Abu Rudaineh.