A spokesperson for Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas said Saturday that the main reason his boss announced that he was quitting his post last week was to exert pressure on Israel and the United States to capitualate to the PA's demands.

Taib Abd A-Rahim said he hoped that the "message had been received by those who need to hear it," the message being that the PA would not compromise on its demand that Israel halt all building in Judea and Samaria. "I hope they take this message seriously, due to the critical state of the peace process," he said.