Member of Knesset Ophir Pines-Paz said Thursday evening that he was bothered by the announcement by Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas that he would not run for re-election in January's PA elections.

The Labor party lawmaker said the announcement, "brings down the curtain on the peace process, could deteriorate the [West] Bank to violence or, Heaven forbid, a Hamas takeover." He concluded, "I think that Israel will miss Abu Mazen."