Abbas Lays his Conditions for Peace

Abbas made a speech after the official election results were announced, which had Abbas winning 62.3 percent of the vote, and said: "We extend our hands to our neighbor. I am willing to resume peace negotiations on the bases of the Road Map."

In an interview with the Corriere della Sera, an Italian newspaper, Abbas drew the conditions for that peace. He said that Palestinians would not accept an agreement that did not guarantee a Palestinian state with a capital in East Jerusalem, nor one that did not settle on the 1967 borders, or one that could not find a fair solution to the issue of Palestinian refugees.

In his congratulatory message, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon demanded that Abbas act decisively against the armed groups before the parties restarted a peace dialogue.

Israel believes that empowering Abbas is the most significant post-election issue because the growing power of Hamas concerns Israel.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which had been calling for an election boycott, announced that they would cooperate with Abbas.

Bush invited Abbas to Washington

US President George W. Bush congratulated Abbas and invited him to Washington. Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul also sent a congratulatory message to Abbas.