ISRAEL MAY WAGE WAR AGAINST GAZA TO THWART PEACE PROCESS

Ramallah, 11 Rabi’ul Akhir 1435/11 February 2014 (MINA) – The Palestinian chief negotiator, Dr Saeb Erekat, has suggested that Israel may wage a new war against the Gaza Strip in order to thwart US Secretary of State John Kerry’s peace efforts.

Erekat told China’s Xinhua news agency that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stepped up the attacks against Al-Aqsa mosque and the Palestinians since the peace talks resumed in July in an attempt to thwart Kerry’s peace efforts; however, Kerry is determined to propose his plan.

“If Netanyahu feels that Kerry’s plan is based on international law, he will wage a new war against the Gaza Strip to underminel it,” Erekat added, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

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Erekat described the recent Israeli threats against the Palestinians in Gaza as dangerous and called upon the international community to pay more attention to the besieged Gaza Strip.

Regarding the negotiations, Erekat said that Kerry has not proposed anything as yet, noting that the Palestinians abide by their position towards the peace process in accordance with international law.

Israeli air forces have recently launched several raids against multiple locations in the Gaza Strip, leading to the death and injury of a number of Palestinians. Netanyahu threatened earlier that he will strike Gaza to “teach Hamas and the resistance factions a very harsh lesson very soon”.

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Meanwhile, Mosheer al-Masri, a leader of Hamas, said that The Israeli escalation on the Gaza Strip will not bring peace to Israel.

Al-Masri warned Israel against continuing its aggression on the besieged coastal enclave, pointing out that the Palestinian resistance will defend the Palestinian people by all possible means.

“Israel is waging a serious war against our people,” said he. “Israel must know that war on Gaza breeds no peace.”

Hamas has always been ready to defend the Palestinian people, said he.

Al-Masri confirmed that Hamas is committed to truce with Israel as long as Israel shows commitment to it.

He called on Egypt to take a leading role and to halt the Israel violations. (T/P02/E01)

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Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)