Israeli-Palestinian tension flares

 

Xinhua, March 23, 2011

"I call on the Palestinian rivals to reconcile and end their division, regain unity and focus on armed resistance against the enemy. The status of (lacking) calm that was going on had given Israel the opportunity to prepare for a larger offensive against the Palestinians and their resistance powers," said Shihab.

Spokesman of the deposed government of Hamas Taher al-Nouno said in a press statement that "the Israeli crimes are committed while countries in the whole region, mainly in the Arab world, are busy with their internal affairs," adding that "We had warned that Israel would escalate violence in the area."

"Israel has been intending to escalate violence in the area after it knew that the Palestinian political powers and factions are exerting efforts to achieve a national reconciliation and end the current division. Israel is escalating violence to protect its interests and get out of its political crisis," said al-Nouno.

He went on saying that "the Israeli escalation would never force us to give political concessions and would never lead to changes in the internal political map of the Palestinian area. The occupation will certainly fail to break the determination of the Palestinian people."

Since last week, violence has escalated between Israel and Gaza militants, mainly Hamas movement's armed wing. The escalation began last Wednesday when two Hamas militants were killed in an Israeli airstrike in central Gaza Strip.

On Saturday, Hamas armed wing and other minor armed groups loyal to Hamas fired around 49 mortar shells from the Gaza Strip at southern Israel. Israeli war jets carried out around 14 airstrikes overnight Monday on targets belonging to Hamas and other militant groups, injuring 19 people.

The escalation of violence came shortly after the Palestinian President Abbas and the prime minister of Hamas government Ismail Haneya announced their readiness to meet in Gaza and end internal division that has lasted for more than three years.