This action is foreign to the traditions of the Palestinian people.

Until now, we haven’t asked anyone to form the government. We are carrying on contacts with all factions, and of course we will ask the party that won the majority to form the government.

As to the contacts, we are sure they will resume as quickly as possible because we have many issues to discuss with the Israelis,

Palestinians are already well on our way to implementing the road map while Israel has yet to even accept the road map,

It is absolutely unacceptable for the border to be stormed, … We must resolve this problem in a civilized manner.

I think they are now responsible, and in order to assume responsibilities, their policies have to be compatible with international polices.

We are trying to lead our people to a just peace and to security, and we want to pave the way for the next generations.

It is high time that the Palestinian people restore their freedom and independence. It is high time that the decades, the long decades of suffering and pain would stop.

I have dealt with him and I know him well. He has his positions and his views but we will deal with him without any preconceptions.

With regard to dealing with the Palestinian organizations, this is our affair, … We know more and are more capable than others in dealing with our brothers.

guaranteed for everyone to participate.

What is happening is chaos and irresponsible. People are saying this is a test for a Palestinian state. If we continue on this path these people will say we don’t deserve one.

I’m giving the facts. They (the monitors) left at 9:20 a.m., and the Israelis came in at 9:30 a.m. How can we explain that?

Elections have been done in some places, and we deal with that in a positive way. For places which have not held their primaries, we will find a suitable solution.

[The roadblocks, imposed by Israel in response to deadly terror attacks,] unfortunately turned the lives of Palestinians into hardship, suffering, humiliation, … a very sensitive issue.

We are on the verge of reaching an agreement on this issue.

An international conference should be summoned immediately, in which direct negotiations take place, on the basis of international UN resolutions and signed agreements.

We believe that in this interim period it is very important to fund the Palestinian Authority. And we’ve been very clear that we intend to continue our humanitarian assistance in any case.

The time has come to end the suffering and the plight of millions of Palestine refugees in the homeland and the Diaspora, to end their displacement and to realize their rights, some of them forced...

Those meetings would focus on helping the Palestinians to rebuild what had been destroyed by the Israeli occupation,

We believe maximum effort must be exerted by both sides to maintain the truce because it’s in everybody’s interest,

This exit of the settlers is one of the fruits of your sacrifices. This step is only the first step that will be completed in the West Bank and in Jerusalem. But the step has...

As for relations and contacts with the Israelis, we are completely certain they are going to resume very rapidly because there are many things we can tackle with the Israelis and which must be discussed,

This is a very important agreement, … I explained that to the prime minister, and I think he did not reject this because this is the only way open to us. We don’t want to...

I call everybody to work to get out of the spiral of action and reaction and let’s learn from our past experiences, … serious attempt to bring life back to the political track and move...

The most important step after the withdrawal will be how we protect, rebuild.

first step towards the liberation of the West Bank and Jerusalem.

Our security services are trying to use all means to prevent their arrival.

We affirm that we want to live in peace, security and stability next to the state of Israel.

No state on earth can afford to allow several authorities to co-exist next to one another.

We will continue to follow up on these issues, and our main goal is to prevent a situation where the Gaza Strip would be turned into a big prison. The Gaza Strip should be open...

A new opportunity for peace is born,

I am optimistic and I expect that we will reach an overall agreement with everybody for a complete cease-fire in all the territories,

The Israelis say: ‘OK, we’ll impose a unilateral solution’ – which means that they will postpone, delay the struggle and they will not solve the problem.

But it will not bring you peace.

[Abbas laid the cornerstone for a new Arafat memorial, even as he acknowledged that his predecessor had no wish for a grandiose building.] He had no dreams of having a palace in Palestine but only...

He clarified to me that there would be no official relations with Israel before the establishment of a Palestinian state. I could not say no, so I said to him, ‘As long as it will...

no one would have the right to cancel any of the issues that the Israelis and the Palestinians would negotiate to find a final permanent solution for all these issues.

Any Israeli government must cooperate with us and must not ignore the Palestinian side.

We should let them go peacefully in order not to give them any reason to delay the evacuation.

Those who perpetrated such acts intend to sabotage what we are doing and prejudice us,

lowest level in four years.

[He said the United States recently sent a general to the region] to help the Palestinians have an effective security force … is desirous of developing a state that would live side by side with...

could widen the cycle of violence, chaos, extremism and bloodshed.

It’s important to see action,

We will tell our Turkish brothers what is happening in the Palestinian territories.

We look with great worry on what might happen if (Sharon) is impaired.

it is against our interests and it only increases the violence in this region.

[In a visit to a Gaza City school at the start of the new school year Saturday, Abbas said the withdrawal will improve daily life.] God willing, the people will live in peace and security,...

It is time to impose the authority of law and order. These events … harm our international credibility and strengthen Israel ‘s pretext to undermine peace and stop withdrawals.