May. 30, 2005 1:33 Updated May. 30, 2005 13:11
By TOVAH LAZAROFF
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas said in an interview aired on Sunday that the era of suicide bombings may be over.
....But he warned that if progress toward a peace agreement was not achieved in meetings with Sharon next month, "despair and loss of hope will come back and a return to the old ideas" of armed resistance.
...earlier Sunday Prime Minister Ariel Sharon expressed skepticism over Abbas's ability to quell terror even as he bolstered the Palestinian leader by pushing the cabinet to approve the release of 400 Palestinian prisoners.
Sharon defended the need to support Abbas now in spite of warnings by his security experts that he could be doing more to stop terror.
Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Health Minister Dan Naveh and Agriculture Minister Yisrael Katz voted against the prisoner release.
...Also at the cabinet meeting, Sharon warned his ministers to be cautious when meeting with PA ministers and not to think that it bolsters the cause of peace of to do so.
"Not everyone has to run to catch the coattails of a Palestinian minister," he said. "If you knew what they are saying about you, you would refrain from doing it."
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