MEET THE NEW BOSS.....

Abbas Embraces Leading Palestinian Gunman
Zakaria Zubeidi, the leader of the Al Aksa Martyrs Brigades in Jenin, carried a smiling Mahmoud Abbas on his shoulders Thursday, endorsing the presidential candidate. Zubeidi, who is idolized for his swagger and wanted by Israel for organizing attacks and sending suicide bombers into Israeli cities, and other gunmen hoisted aloft Abbas, who smiled and waved to about 3,000 Palestinians gathered around. "When we demand security," Abbas said, "we demand it for all our citizens, including our wanted brothers," in a reference to Zubeidi and his group.

Israel has been quietly backing Abbas, considering him a moderate who has called attacks against Israelis a mistake. However, with Abbas constantly referring to Arafat as his guide and associating with militants like Zubeidi, some Israelis are having second thoughts. Israeli analyst Dan Scheuftan warned that Abbas' embracing of Zubeidi might backfire. "If he believes that by associating with Zubeidi, he gets control of him," Scheuftan said, "this is not the case." (AP/San Francisco Chronicle)

SEE ALSO: Abu Mazen's Two Faces - Editorial
Yasser Arafat's heir apparent, Mahmoud Abbas, was fetched up in Jenin on the shoulders of Zakaria Zubeidi, the local leader of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades. The Brigades has been designated a terrorist group by the U.S. State Department, which reports, "Al-Aqsa has carried out shootings and suicide operations against Israeli civilians and military personnel and has killed Palestinians suspected of collaborating with Israel. At least five American citizens - four of them dual American-Israeli citizens - were killed in al-Aqsa's attacks. In January 2002, al-Aqsa claimed responsibility for the first suicide bombing carried out by a female."

In his campaign speeches, Abbas has called for a "right of return" for Palestinian Arab "refugees" to Israel, code for the destruction of the Jewish state. He vowed to follow Arafat's line. Mr. Bush is expected to invite Abbas to the White House in February after his leadership is ratified in a sham election scheduled for Jan. 9. Intimidation by Abbas' PA is such that Arab voters are afraid even to be seen with the campaign literature of Abbas' rivals. (New York Sun, 31Dec04)