Abbas, Haneya slam Israel's new round of Gaza offensive

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Ismail Haneya slammed on Wednesday separately a fresh Israeli raid into northern Gaza Strip where six Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded.

Abbas described the Israeli operations as "a circle of dangerous and ignoble series because Israel is considering systematic operations in Gaza Strip without any reason."

Israeli army confirmed on Wednesday morning that the Israel Defense Force (IDF) is conducting a large-scale operation in Beit Hanoun, northern town of the Gaza Stripe.

Six Palestinians had been reported as being killed and over 20 others injured in the operation.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Haneya also condemned the Israeli operation in Gaza at a news conference held outside his office in Gaza.

He said that the Israeli operation came as part of a pressure campaign exerted against the Hamas-led government and the Palestinian people.

Attributing the action to the inclusion of an ultra-nationalist politician into Israel's government, Haneya said that "The massacre committed today in Beit Hanoun is a result of the Israeli government's move to include a radical minister."

He warned that the inclusion of Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of the extreme-right party Yisrael Beiteinu, into the Israeli cabinet "would affect the nature of the Israeli escalation against the Palestinian people."

On Monday evening, Israeli Knesset (parliament) voted and approved the addition of extreme-right party Yisrael Beiteinu into the government coalition, drawing criticisms from Israel's left parties and Palestinian side.

Haneya also called on the international community and the Arab League to intervene immediately and put an end to the Israeli offensive, while urging the Palestinian people to unite and shelve their differences.

The Islamic Jihad (Holy War) movement also condemned the Israeli military operations in Gaza Strip, saying the Israeli army "tries to recover its dignity lost in the recent war in Lebanon."

Islamic Jihad's leader in Gaza, Khaled al-Batsh, told reporters that Israel "was seeking a fake victory in Gaza."

He also said the operations "are a gift to the ultra- nationalist bigot Avigdor Lieberman who joined the government to expand aggression and terrorism."

Meanwhile, Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said the Israeli escalation "became intolerable."

Calling on the international community to bear responsibility and intervene, Erekat said that the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) had repeatedly called for the European countries' intervention, but the Israeli aggression, however, continued.

Erekat expressed hope the Middle East Quartet would move to revive the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians, adding the release of the Israeli soldier and forming a new Palestinian government would pave the way for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

Source: Xinhua