PA AMENDS PLATFORM

'Armed resistance' excluded from PA gov't platform for first time (Haaretz)
The Palestinian Authority government published its platform on Friday, which for the first time does not include a reference to armed struggle against Israel. Nonetheless, the government stressed that it is committed to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' call for a "popular struggle against the Israeli occupation."

Israel welcomed on Friday remarks by ministers that Palestinian Prime Miniser Salam Fayad's government program, yet to be presented to parliament, does not feature a commitment to "armed resistance" - unlike those of its Hamas-led predecessors.

The Arabic word muqawma, which literally means resistance and has appeared in all prior PA governments' platform, is generally understood to mean armed struggle. The term "popular struggle" includes, among other things, demonstrations and political activism.

Hamas rejected the plan, and vowed to continue the armed struggle against Israel, the radio said. According to the platform, Fayad's government will seek to establish a Palestinian state on the pre-1967 boundaries with Jerusalem as its capital, as well as a just and agreed solution to the Palestinian refugee problem on the basis of United Nations resolutions.