Abbas questions Israeli democracy

BRASILIA, Brazil - Palestinian Chairman Mahmoud Abbas questioned Israel's belief in democracy on

Tuesday after an Israeli official suggested a victory for Hamas in Palestinian parliamentary elections could put Israel's pullout from Gaza at risk.

Abbas also criticized a decision by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to postpone the withdrawal from Gaza by three weeks under what he said was the "Pretext of religious celebrations in Israel."

Israel has said it would postpone its Gaza pullout to mid-August to avoid having it fall on a Jewish mourning period. Most of Gaza's 8,500 settlers are religious or observant.

"Worse than that is that his (Sharon's) minister of foreign affairs said that there would be no withdrawal from Gaza nor any other city if the Hamas movement wins the elections," Abbas said in a speech at a summit of South American and Arab leaders in Brazil.

"Here I ask myself. What kind of democracy is this? What democracy do the Israelis believe in?" Abbas asked. Palestinians believed in a democracy which could create the results necessary for lasting peace in the Middle East, he said.

Israelis Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom on Monday cast doubt on the settlement evacuation plan in light of Hamas' growing political clout, but Israel's Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz shot down that suggestion, saying that the withdrawal would go ahead.

Arab nations look for solidarity 

Israel had said on Tuesday it had laid the diplomatic groundwork to try to ensure an unprecedented

summit under way between Arab and South American nations in Brazil does not end with an anti-Israeli resolution.

"Israel is well aware of this summit and we have been engaging with many friends in South America (who) will make every effort to ensure that we don't see one sided anti-Israeli resolutions," Said Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev.

The summit is the first such meeting between leaders from 12 South American and 22 Arab nations. Brazilian officials say the emphasis is on increasing trade and business links between the two parts of the world and fostering diplomatic cooperation.

But Arab nations were also looking for solidarity over the Palestinian cause, terrorism and other political issues. A draft of the forum's final declaration calls for the right of people to resist occupation, a sign of support for the Palestinians in their struggle against Israel.

Regev said Israel had met with foreign ministers and ambassadors from many South American countries and voiced hope they would call for leaders in the summit to oppose such a decree.