Sources: Bush won't pressure PA on armed groups until elections

[Colorado Blue]

The Bush administration will not be demanding that the Palestinian Authority disarm the armed groups in the territories, including Hamas, at least until after the Palestinian elections later this year. President George W. Bush may even try to bypass Congress and announce tens of millions of dollars in direct aid to the Authority during PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' meeting with Bush on Thursday.

According to sources in Abbas' entourage, an understanding has been reached that the U.S. will make do with a Palestinian commitment to take action against arms smuggling into the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

For months, Israel has been saying that there can be no diplomatic progress until the Palestinians "dismantle the terrorist infrastructure," and has been trying to persuade the U.S. administration that Abbas is weak. However, American officials have made it clear to Israel that the administration is sticking to its support for Abbas even though it is concerned about his apparent weakness.

The Americans have made clear to Israel that it must fulfill its commitments made at the Sharm el-Sheikh summit - continuing to hand over West Bank towns to the PA, releasing security prisoners and removing checkpoints that restrict Palestinian freedom of movement in the territories.

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http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/580489.html