A Palestinian rally to celebrate Israel’s pull-out from Gaza ended in chaos today when a Hamas activist grabbed a microphone away from a rap singer, and police firing in the air escorted the singer away, ending a gathering that disappointed many.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas plans to disarm militants in the near future, beginning with his own Fatah group’s armed wing, a top Abbas aide told an Israeli newspaper.

NOW that Israel has redrawn its own borders before the eyes of the world, completing with dazzling speed its pullout from the Gaza Strip and part of the West Bank, it has this message for the Palestinians: “We’ve dealt with our extremists, now you deal with yours.”

Now that Israel has redrawn its own borders before the world’s eyes, completing with dazzling speed its pull-out from the Gaza Strip and part of the West Bank, it has this message for the Palestinians: We’ve dealt with our extremists, now you deal with yours.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas headed to Washington today with a long list of demands for the US president, though privately Palestinian officials said they don’t expect much from George Bush and some even questioned the wisdom of making the trip at all.