“Abbas Rejects Use of Force to Disarm Palestinian Groups,” from Arab News, with thanks to the Constantinopolitan Irredentist:
RAMALLAH, 20 February 2005 “” Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said he opposes any use of force to disarm Palestinian groups.
“We don’t want conflict with the armed organizations, but agreement,” he said in an interview with the German weekly Der Spiegel to appear in tomorrow’s edition. The president said fighters from Hamas, Fatah and Islamic Jihad must be integrated into the Palestinian security forces.
“After that, there will be no illegal arms, because the fighters must first hand them over,” he told Der Spiegel.
Abbas also pledged that the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza would be free of violence. “People will throw flowers at the Israelis, and not stones,” he said. Hamas and Islamic Jihad agreed on Feb. 12 to maintain an informal truce following talks with Abbas.