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Source: http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/001/998zbrfl.asp
The Significance of the Abrams Appointment
(Weekly Standard) Fred Barnes - In a book, Present Dangers, published in 2000, Abrams wrote: American interests "do not lie in strengthening Palestinians at the expense of Israelis, abandoning our overall policy of supporting the expansion of democracy and human rights, or subordinating all other political and security goals to the 'success' of the Arab-Israel 'peace process.'" At the moment, the White House plans to implement the Bush guidelines from his speech last June. Among these are the easing aside of Arafat, the end of Palestinian terrorism against Israel, and reform of the PA. The Bush speech indicated these steps must be taken first, before moving on to concessions the Israelis might make. However, the position of Powell's State Department is that the Palestinians don't have to complete their required steps, only begin them.