Palestinan Muslims do something right.

A senior Palestinian religious leader has issued an edict banning shooting attacks against Israeli security forces and settlements, out of concern they might lead to a postponement of the pullout from the Gaza Strip and part of northern Samaria.

"Anyone who causes the delay of the withdrawal of the occupation, or prolongs its existence on Islamic soil, is committing a crime according to Islamic law," Sheikh Jamal al-Bawatna, the mufti of the Ramallah district, says in a fatwa issued in the past few days.

Al-Bawatna addresses the groups directly and says, "The nationalist and Islamic factions must cooperate in joint responsibility under these very trying circumstances. There is no forgiveness for anyone who ... goes against the [PA] regime or tries to exploits the circumstances to serve the interests of his faction."

The sheikh also reminds the population that "Mahmoud Abbas is the elected president ... and there is a religious obligation to obey his orders. Disobeying is an attempt to weaken his authority, which is considered a severe sin according to all the parameters of Islamic law."

This is a very positive step. Hopefully the US media will give this some coverage.