This news from the Occupied Territories: Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has publicly said the armed uprising against Israel has been a mistake and must end. He told a British newspaper it is important to “keep the uprising away from arms because the uprising is a legitimate right of the people to express their rejection of the occupation by popular and social means.” Abbas’ comments come one day after jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti dropped out of the race. Barghouti is widely seen as the leader of the second intifada against Israel. Abbas has also claimed that he is in talks Hamas and Islamic Jihad, to bring them into the framework of the PLO. Both Hamas and Islamic Jihad have openly backed the armed uprising and have threatened to boycott next month’s election.