(New York Times) Greg Myre - At almost every stop on the campaign trail, Mahmoud Abbas says he will follow in the footsteps of Arafat. "Ariel Sharon is an elected leader and we will negotiate with him," Abbas said at a news conference in Nablus. "I can't say that Ariel Sharon is not a partner. But whether or not he is serious, we will explore it." Abbas spoke just two days after he had referred to Israel as the "Zionist enemy," a comment that drew sharp criticism from Israeli leaders. But Israeli officials say their attention is focused on what Abbas does after Sunday's election. Even if he achieves a landslide victory, he will still lack the stature and authority of Arafat. Campaign posters show the two men side by side. "The positions of Yasser Arafat, the sayings of Yasser Arafat are a will that must be implemented," he said. His core demands are the same as Arafat's. He is also courting the militants, even as he criticizes their attacks.
2005-01-07 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive