The following are excerpts from a speech by Palestinian Authority Chairman
Mahmoud Abbas that was aired on Al-Jazeera TV on January 9, 2006.

*Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas: Most Qassam Missiles Fall in
Palestinian Territory
Clip # 995

Mahmoud Abbas: We should not consider the truce a favor that we are doing to
others. We are not doing Israel any favor. We are giving a gift to our own
people. The truce is for the sake of our people. What is the use of entering
into conflict with the factions now? What is the use of missiles? I would
like someone to give me even one benefit. Just one. Yesterday, when I was
coming from the Erez crossing, I was greeted by two missiles. One of them
hit Abu Iskandar's office. What's the use of that? Ninety percent of the
missiles hit our own people. They are fired, then come back and land on our
homes - killing and wounding, killing and wounding... Unfortunately, you in
the media do not highlight this fact. You don't highlight this. This must be
made clear. Go and see where these missiles land. This is one aspect. As
long as this is useless, why are we doing it? Only to say we are resisting?
This is not resistance. With these missiles - which kill us - we are giving
the Israelis a pretext to send planes to attack us, or to make supersonic
booms, making our children deaf and paralyzed, and so on. You must tell the
truth. You, the entire media... These missiles - what use are they? But all
you say is: a missile was launched here and struck there... You should...
You are not objective bystanders. You are citizens.

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