Hamas vows to avenge deaths as "Israel" tries to shift blame
Source: AFP, 18-04-2008
'Israel' and the Islamic Hamas movement traded threats on Thursday, a day after fierce fighting in the Gaza Strip killed at least 18 Palestinians, most of them civilians. Hamas vowed to avenge Wednesday's 'Israeli' assault on the impoverished territory, but 'Israeli' Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the Islamic movement bears "direct responsibility" for the fighting, which also killed three 'Israeli' soldiers.
"We consider that Hamas bears sole, direct responsibility for what happened in Gaza and it will pay the price," Olmert said in an interview with 'Israel's' Maariv newspaper.
'Israel' has repeatedly threatened to launch a widescale operation to oust Hamas from Gaza, but the media has speculated that it may wait until after the week-long Jewish Passover holiday, which begins Saturday.
Reacting to Wednesday's violence, which also saw the deaths of five Palestinians under the age of 15, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum told AFP that "all options are open to repel this aggression against our people."
In an Internet statement Hamas called on its fighters to attack 'Israel' "in every place and with all means available."
'Israeli' troops continued to strike Palestinian fighters on Thursday. They killed two Islamic Jihad fighters during a predawn arrest operation in the Occupied West Bank and a militant in Gaza whom the army said approached the border.
The Arab League condemned Thursday 'Israel's' "holocaust" in the Gaza Strip. A statement from the General Secretariat of the 22-member pan-Arab body "denounced 'Israel's' collective punishment policy as a 'holocaust,'" Egypt's official Middle East News Agency reported.
The Arab League said "'Israeli' practices against the Palestinians are war crimes" and urged an end to bloodshed.
Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas, on a visit to Moscow, also strongly condemned the 'Israeli' assault and on Thursday called for a new Middle East peace conference in Moscow.
On Monday US national security spokesman Gordon Johnroe said "we are concerned about any ongoing violence, but note that the 'Israelis' and Palestinians continue to discuss the way ahead."
'Israel' has been carrying out near-daily military operations in the Gaza Strip in what it claims is a bid aimed at halting rocket fire on southern 'Israel'.
The latest deaths bring to 413 the number of people killed, the vast majority Palestinians including dozens of civilians and children, since 'Israel' and the Palestinians relaunched formal peace talks in November, according to an AFP count.
'Israel' and the Islamic Hamas movement traded threats on Thursday, a day after fierce fighting in the Gaza Strip killed at least 18 Palestinians, most of them civilians. Hamas vowed to avenge Wednesday's 'Israeli' assault on the impoverished territory, but 'Israeli' Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the Islamic movement bears "direct responsibility" for the fighting, which also killed three 'Israeli' soldiers.
"We consider that Hamas bears sole, direct responsibility for what happened in Gaza and it will pay the price," Olmert said in an interview with 'Israel's' Maariv newspaper.
'Israel' has repeatedly threatened to launch a widescale operation to oust Hamas from Gaza, but the media has speculated that it may wait until after the week-long Jewish Passover holiday, which begins Saturday.
Reacting to Wednesday's violence, which also saw the deaths of five Palestinians under the age of 15, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum told AFP that "all options are open to repel this aggression against our people."
In an Internet statement Hamas called on its fighters to attack 'Israel' "in every place and with all means available."
'Israeli' troops continued to strike Palestinian fighters on Thursday. They killed two Islamic Jihad fighters during a predawn arrest operation in the Occupied West Bank and a militant in Gaza whom the army said approached the border.
The Arab League condemned Thursday 'Israel's' "holocaust" in the Gaza Strip. A statement from the General Secretariat of the 22-member pan-Arab body "denounced 'Israel's' collective punishment policy as a 'holocaust,'" Egypt's official Middle East News Agency reported.
The Arab League said "'Israeli' practices against the Palestinians are war crimes" and urged an end to bloodshed.
Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas, on a visit to Moscow, also strongly condemned the 'Israeli' assault and on Thursday called for a new Middle East peace conference in Moscow.
On Monday US national security spokesman Gordon Johnroe said "we are concerned about any ongoing violence, but note that the 'Israelis' and Palestinians continue to discuss the way ahead."
'Israel' has been carrying out near-daily military operations in the Gaza Strip in what it claims is a bid aimed at halting rocket fire on southern 'Israel'.
The latest deaths bring to 413 the number of people killed, the vast majority Palestinians including dozens of civilians and children, since 'Israel' and the Palestinians relaunched formal peace talks in November, according to an AFP count.
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