In a widely disseminated column also published in the Financial Times, Saeb Erakat ignores reality in favor of the big lie:

Earlier this year, Mahmoud Abbas was overwhelmingly elected Palestinian president on a platform of peace and the reactivation of dialogue with Israel. Since then, the Palestinian Authority has worked diligently to consolidate its security forces and integrate opposition groups under the national umbrella. With multi-party elections to the Palestinian Legislative Council scheduled for January, we expect the campaign for “one gun, one law, one Authority” to be successful.

President Abbas has already made substantial progress, including brokering a tahdia (calm) with Palestinian factions that delivered to Israelis a level of quiet their own government could not provide in the preceding four years. This agreement with the factions was predicated on the understanding that Israel would not violate the ceasefire it signed in February at Sharm el-Sheikh.

Erekat does not mention the constant barrage of Qassam rockets fired from Gaza, Hadera homicide bombing or other terrorist incidents. He does not mention Abbas' failure to use his mandate to disarm or control terrorist organizations. He cannot be even expected to mention the total collapse of the PA security forces:

In the letter, revealed by UPI, the officers warn that the Palestinian Authority (PA) security apparatus is on the verge of collapse due to widespread corruption and the ongoing state of anarchy that exists in autonomous areas.

The authors of the letter to Abu Mazen state that they reject ongoing US and Israeli pressure demanding the disarming of PA terrorist organizations. Instead, the militia officers declared, their weapons will only be pointed at Israel and at Israel's Arab agents fighting terrorism in the PA.

Ahmad Qurei adds to the fabrications with the claim that the PA foiled 48 anti-Israeli attacks last month. No kidding.

Sorry, Israel does not have a capable peace partner and hopefully Bush is not going to pretend she does.