The Hamas-led Palestinian cabinet on Sunday authorized Justice Minister Ahmed al-Khaldi to start immediately preparing to sue the Israeli government for launching attacks on the cabinet's buildings and detaining ministers in the West Bank.

The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Ismail Haneya, decided to sue Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for ordering to destroy buildings of the Palestinian government and arrest ministers who were elected by the Palestinians.

"The Palestinian government decided to continue its legal measures to protest the ministers and the lawmakers who were abducted by occupation forces," said a statement issued after the meeting.

The statement said although occupation forces were carrying out a brutal operation against the Palestinian people and their government, the cabinet decided to keep acting and running daily life of the Palestinians.

"It was the first time that occupation forces arrested ministers and parliament members," the statement said. "What happened was totally a war crime which requires the United Nations to immediately step in to end it."

Israeli helicopters fired at predawn on Sunday one rocket at Haneya's office in Gaza City and destroyed it. Haneya was not at the office when the building was targeted.

Israel claimed that it will continue targeting Hamas leaders and the movement's institutions in the Palestinian territories unless militants free an Israeli soldier who was abducted one week ago.

Source: Xinhua