While Abbas’ not being involved with Hamas apparently absolves him of all responsibility for Palestinian jihad terrorism. “U.S. joins rebuke of Israel,” by Nicholas Kralev for the Washington Times (thanks to Ruth King):
PARIS “” Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice joined her counterparts in the international “Quartet for Middle East peace” yesterday in a rare formal rebuke of Israel for its plans to expand Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
Meeting at a donors conference in Paris that won $7.4 billion in pledges for the Palestinians, the Quartet also warned that the money will help improve the Palestinian economy only if Israel lifts some of the physical and administrative obstacles to Palestinian travel and trade.
The Quartet expressed “concern” over the recent announcement of 300 new housing tenders for an East Jerusalem neighborhood known to Israelis as Har Homa and to Palestinians as Jabal Abu Ghneim.
“The Quartet called on both parties to make progress on their Phase One road-map obligations, including an Israeli freeze on settlements, removal of unauthorized outposts and opening of East Jerusalem institutions,” the group said in a joint statement.
On the Palestinian side, it also urged “steps to end violence, terrorism and incitement,” for which the West blames the militant group Hamas, and not the government of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who was in Paris.
Convenient.