The Islamic Jihad movement Saturday condemned the attack on Basilica of the Annunciation in the northern Israeli Arab city of Nazareth, describing it as "a barbarian act and a crime" against the church and the pilgrims inside it.

The Palestinian militant group said in a statement that it urged the Christian and the Muslim believers in the Palestinian territories to withstand the attacks on holy shrines in Palestine.

On Friday night, chaos erupted when a Jewish man accompanied by his Christian wife and their daughter detonated fireworks inside the Basilica of the Annunciation, wounding thirteen local residents.

Jihad warned of consequences of such act following widespread protest in the Muslim world against the publication of insulting cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad in European press.

Meanwhile, Hamas prime minster-designate Ismail Haneya also denounced the attack in telephone talks with Nazareth's mayor Ramez Jaraisy.

Haneya said Hamas considered the attack as a result of the hate culture which Israel feeds to its people.

Source: Xinhua