Mahmoud Abbas

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Palestinians hold pictures of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as they celebrate their successful bid to win U.N. observer recognition, in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)

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U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (right) shakes hands with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at U.N. headquarters on Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

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Palestinians hold pictures of President Mahmoud Abbas and wave flags during a rally supporting the Palestinian U.N. bid for observer state status, in the West Bank city of Nablus on Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Nasser Ishtayeh)

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U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, right, shakes hands with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at U.N. headquarters Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

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**FILE** Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks Nov. 16, 2012, during a meeting of the Palestinian leadership at his compound in the West Bank city of Ramallah. (Associated Press)

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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, right, and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, left, shake hands for photographers following a joint press conference in the West bank city of Ramallah, Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2012. World diplomats continued shuttling between Jerusalem, the West Bank and Cairo on Wednesday, trying to piece together a deal that would satisfy Israeli after a week of fighting and mounting casualties.(AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)

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In this photo, released by the Egyptian Presidency, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, left, meets with Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi, right, in Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Egyptian Presidency)

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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas leaves the podium after speaking during the 67th session of the U.N. General Assembly at the world body's headquarters on Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

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** FILE ** Former President Jimmy Carter speaks Oct. 22, 2012, in the West Bank city of Ramallah to the media following a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. (Associated Press)

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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the 67th session of the U.N. General Assembly at the world body's headquarters on Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

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** FILE ** Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (left) and Khaled Mashaal (right), chief of the Islamic militant group Hamas, sit with Qatar's crown prince, Sheik Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, as they sign a reconciliation agreement in Doha, Qatar, on Monday, Feb. 6, 2012. (AP Photo/Thaer Ghanaim, Palestinian President's Office)

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Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal (left) and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas are scheduled to meet next week to discuss actions on a deal reached in May to end a 4 1/2-year rift between Hamas and Mr. Abbas' Fatah party. (Associated Press)

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British Prime Minister David Cameron (right) speaks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas during their meeting at 10 Downing Street in London on Monday, Jan. 16, 2012. The woman at left is unidentified. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis, Pool)

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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas could pay a heavy price among Palestinians if he returns to formal peace negotiations without an Israeli settlement freeze. (Associated Press)