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Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/30/opinion/30sat1.html
Mr. Obama and Mr. Abbas
[New York Times] Editorial - Abbas displayed depressing passivity in an interview with the Washington Post before his White House meeting. He suggested that his only role in the American-led peace initiative is to wait - for Hamas to join in a unity government, for Netanyahu to act. He said he can't ask Arab states to have anything to do with Israel "until Israel agrees to freeze settlements and recognize the two-state solution....Until then, we can't talk to anyone." Abbas needs to do a lot more. He must keep improving Palestinian security forces. He must redouble efforts to halt the constant spewing of hatred against Israel in schools, mosques and media. He must work harder to weed out corruption. Unless Abbas' government does more to improve the lives of Palestinians, it will surely lose again to Hamas in elections scheduled for January.