Member of Knesset Mohammed Barakeh (Hadash) accused Israel of causing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to decide not to run in the upcoming Palestinian presidential elections.
"Now, they are trying to use a political veil to kill Abu Mazen's choice of peace. Netanyahu is besieging peace just as Israel besieged Arafat," said Barakeh at the memorial ceremony marking five years since Yasser Arafat's death. He made the comments in reference to Palestinian claims that Israel poisoned Arafat. (Ali Waked, Ramallah)