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Source: http://www.washingtontimes.com/world/20061220-121303-5058r.htm
Rice: U.S. to Step Up Support for Abbas
[Washington Times] Nicholas Kralev and Joshua Mitnick - The U.S. will not wait for Palestinians to agree on a unity government or to hold elections in order to push for a renewed peace effort with Israel and will step up its support for Mahmoud Abbas, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Tuesday. She said the chief mission of U.S. diplomacy in the Middle East in the next two years will be to strengthen the "alignment" of moderate forces so they can take on extremists who have enjoyed a surge in popularity in recent years. "We are pushing forward on helping [Abbas] with reconstruction and security forces," she said, referring to tens of millions of dollars the Bush administration plans to give his office.