Abbas Is Declared President-Elect

Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, who observed Sunday's vote for Palestinian president, greets Mahmoud Abbas at his headquarters in Ramallah. (Pool Photo/Ruth Fremson Via AP)

"The question at stake is whether the Israeli government will take the necessary steps, so he can show his constituency that he has succeeded in bringing some progress," said George Giacaman, director of the Palestinian Institute for the Study of Democracy. "It is now in the hands of the Sharon government and the Bush administration to make a difference. They can fail him, and they can make him successful."

"There is a change in the atmosphere," said Amram Mitzna, a leader of Israel's dovish Labor Party. "The real question is whether it can be used by both sides. Abu Mazen will not be an easy negotiator. But the escape to a place where we said 'there's no one to negotiate with' was an easy way out, and now we have to put all the sensitive issues on the table."

Raanan Gissin, spokesman for Sharon, said that "we expect to have a meeting very soon to discuss the issues the prime minister has reiterated time and again -- security and security coordination." But Gissin added that "just electing someone democratically does not mean that we have democracy and reform and we're back to the negotiating table. Mr. Abu Mazen, in spite of his landslide, will be judged by deeds, not words."

Saeb Erekat, a Palestinian lead negotiator, said his side wanted the Israelis to "come back to the negotiating table and abandon the ways of dictation and fait accomplis and walls and settlements."

Erekat and Shaath said they hoped the new Palestinian leadership would be invited to be partners in Sharon's plan to withdraw Israeli troops and Jewish settlers from the Gaza Strip and four settlements in the West Bank this summer. Sharon began his plan unilaterally, saying Arafat was not a trustworthy partner in peace.

If the Palestinians make progress in controlling attacks against Israelis, Gissin said, "We very much would like to coordinate the disengagement with them and hand over security to the Palestinians when we leave" the two areas.

Sharon and his pullout got a boost Monday night when the Israeli parliament approved 58 to 56 the formation of a new coalition government, giving Sharon a majority for the first time in seven months. The new government, which favors the Gaza plan, consists of Sharon's Likud party (40 seats), Labor (20 seats) and the United Torah Judaism party (5 seats). He still faces a rebellion within Likud, where 13 members voted against or abstained in Monday's vote.

Anderson reported from Jerusalem. Researcher Samuel Sockol contributed to this report.