Coincidence?

Playing the blame the victim card. Abbas gives a speech in Gaza and the Jerusalem Wire Service carries the message:

PLO chief Mahmoud Abbas doesn't understand why Israel continues to pursue, arrest and otherwise eliminate “Palestinian” terrorists who are planning and training to murder the nation's Jews. In a speech delivered in Gaza City Friday, Abbas said Israel's anti-terror actions over the past week were unjustifiably escalating tensions. He ignored the massive terrorist rocket barrage that led to the current IDF offensive.

Official “Palestinian” forces singularly failed to prevent the bombardment of the Negev town of Sderot last weekend, despite the fact numerous Hamas and Islamic Jihad cells participated in the firing of nearly 50 Kassams. Nevertheless, Abbas accused Israel of purposely trying to undermine “efforts by the [Palestinian] Authority to keep the peace.”

“I don’t know what lies behind this policy of the Israeli government,” he said. Striking a magnanimous note, Abbas said that in spite of the Israeli aggression, he was still urging his terrorist “brothers...to show restraint.”

Once again, Abbas proves de-nial is not just a river in Egypt.

But if that isn't odd enough, it looks like US Secretary of State got the Abbas memo if this Jerusalem Wire Service report is accurate:

Israel needs to lighten up on its (already limited) war on terror, and allow the Palestinian Authority to deal with the killers of Jewish men, women and children in its own way and time, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice suggested Friday. And Israel Radio reported Sunday that the Sharon government had acquiesced, agreeing to relieve military pressure on “Palestinian” terror groups to give PLO chief Mahmoud Abbas another chance to act against them prior to his visit to Washington on October 20.

Addressing a gathering at Princeton University, Rice reiterated the Bush Administration's firm position that Hamas is a terrorist organization that will “eventually have to be disarmed.” But at a time when the “Palestinians” are going through “transition...one has to give some space to the participants.”

Of course, she does not have to worry about ducking Kassam rockets while shopping, eating or even sleeping.