A bizarre question from Abbas...

Abbas is questioning Israel's belief in democracy.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas questioned Israel's belief in democracy on Tuesday after an Israeli official suggested a victory for Hamas militants in Palestinian parliamentary elections could put Israel's pull-out from Gaza at risk.

Abbas criticized a decision by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to postpone the withdrawal from Gaza by three weeks under what he said was the "pretext of religious celebrations in Israel."

"Worse than that is that his (Sharon's) minister of foreign affairs said that there would be no withdrawal from Gaza nor any other city if the Hamas movement wins the elections," Abbas said in a speech at a summit of South American and Arab leaders in Brazil.

"Here I ask myself. What kind of democracy is this? What democracy do the Israelis believe in?" Abbas asked. Palestinians believed in a democracy which could create the results necessary for lasting peace in the Middle East, he said.

Huh? Since when have the Palestinians created democratic institutions for peace? And, doesn't Mr. Abbas understand that freedom of speech is a necessary part of democracy?