By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz pledged early Thursday morning to ease the lives of Palestinians and to pursue peacemaking with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas once the Palestinian leader has dismantled violent groups.
"We are waiting to see how the Palestinian Authority will deal with terrorist groups," Mofaz said.
He suggested that US Foreign Minister Condoleeza Rice was in accord with Israel's campaign against Hamas and other groups the State Department considers terrorist.
"The United States believes we have a right to defend our people," Mofaz said. "The US is very clear we have to give the best security to the Israeli people."