GAZA, July 3 (Xinhuanet) -- Former Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, or Abu Mazen, on Saturday held Israel's Ariel Sharon, the United States and Palestinian opposition powers fully responsible for the failure of his cabinet.

   Abbas said in an interview with an Israeli television that "Sharon, the US administration and the Palestinian sides who were against my cabinet were behind the failure of my cabinet, the matter that forced me to resign from my PM position only after four months from my designation."

   He said that he agrees on Sharon's unilateral disengagement plan, adding that his cabinet would have succeeded in Sharon had presented his plan during his mandate.

   The US Administration had only supported his cabinet with words of praise, said the ex-premier, adding that the US "verbal admiration" has harmed his cabinet.

   He added "Israel missed an opportunity be refusing the Arab peace initiative presented by Saudi Arabia and ratified by the Arab League held in Beirut."

   "I wonder how Israel refused it, particularly since it represents Israel's dreams about the normalization with Arab countries," he said.

   Meanwhile, Abbas noted that the Egyptian initiative has a great potential because it works on unifying as well as training and rehabilitating the Palestinian security apparatuses.

   Asked about the possibilities of returning to power, Abbas said "I can still be present and work and express my opinions without being in power and I wish success for the current cabinet, and if it does I will be a soldier for it."  Enditem