Arab News (with additional material by Reuters). 20 (and 19) August 2002. Hamas, Jihad reject Gaza First deal.
RAMALLAH -- Palestinian groups rejected yesterday a new deal to ease Israel's military clampdown in the Gaza Strip and Bethlehem in return for a reduction of violence. Islamic Jihad yesterday vowed to step up attacks on Israeli targets. "The Palestinian people's answer will be to escalate the resistance to foil (Israeli Defense Minister Binyamin) Ben Eliezer's plan," said Khalid El-Batsh, a Gaza Strip leader of the Palestinian group. "We in Islamic Jihad reject this agreement because it will consecrate the Israeli occupation of our land," he told AFP. "This accord aims to destroy the intifada," he said, referring to the deal drawn up between Ben-Eliezer and Palestinian Interior Minister Abdel Razaq Al-Yahya late Sunday to implement a plan for Israel to gradually quit reoccupied areas if Palestinian security reined in hard-liners. Batsh said the accord would only serve to deepen division between Palestinian factions, who have been locked into talks for weeks to work out a united position on the 23-month-long uprising. The Hamas movement also dismissed the agreement between Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Hamas said it would continue to attack Israel, which was the condition Israel demanded from Palestinian authorities in return for the partial withdrawal. "The resistance will find ways to pursue the fight without clashing with the Palestinian Authority," senior Hamas official Abdel-Aziz al-Rantissi told Reuters. "Our rifles will remain directed against the Zionist enemy and only against the Zionist enemy." The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine also rejected the agreement and vowed to mount attacks against Israel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barry Stoller http://www.utopia2000.org The NEW ProletarianNews ------------------------------------------- Macdonald Stainsby http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/rad-green http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/leninist-international -- In the contradiction lies the hope. --Bertholt Brecht _______________________________________________ Leninist-International mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] To change your options or unsubscribe go to: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/leninist-international
