Palestine redux.

OK, just when I thought that Abbas was our guy. That he was a moderate leader, sure to be elected by the Palestinians this year and lead them to peaceful relations with Israel, he says this:

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said Saturday that he wants to shield Palestinian militants from Israel and indicated he has no plans to crack down on gunmen after upcoming presidential elections.
"When we see them, when we meet them, and when they welcome us, we owe them," Abbas said. "This debt always is to protect them from assassination, to protect them from killing, and all these things they are subject to by the Israelis."

Have I stepped into some alternate universe? He's even saying that he is against the Israeli pullout of the occupied territories. What next?
Hat tip to Michael Totten.