Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday condemned the Israeli
“aggression” on the Gaza Strip and called on the international community to
intervene to stop the escalation.
Abbas’s spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudaineh,
said that the Israeli “aggression” was unacceptable and deplorable.
RELATED:
IAF strikes Gaza as Hamas announces immediate cease-fire
Analysis: A callous escalationAbbas in Cairo for talks with new leaders He
said that Abbas also urged the Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip to refrain
from giving Israel an excuse to escalate the situation “and cause more suffering
to our people.”
Abu Rudaineh claimed that Israel wanted divisions among
Palestinians to continue – a reference to the power struggle between Hamas and
Fatah.
Hamas also appealed to the international community to intervene to
stop Israel’s military strikes in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas spokesman Fawzi
Barhoum said that Israel was exploiting South African Judge Richard Goldstone’s
retraction from his previous allegations to “perpetrate more crimes against our
people.”
Barhoum also claimed that Israel’s attacks were aimed at foiling
efforts to achieve reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah.
Abbas met in
Cairo on Thursday with Mohammed Hussein Tantawi, head of the Egyptian Army’s
Higher Council and discussed with him the Hamas-Fatah dispute and the stalled
peace process with Israel.
The meeting was the first of its find since
Hosni Mubarak stepped down as president earlier this year.
Egyptian
Foreign Minister Nabil Elaraby and Chief of Army Staff Sami Anan attended the
meeting, which was held at the Defense Ministry headquarters in
Cairo.
PLO Secretary-General Yasser Abed Rabbo, who accompanied Abbas,
said after the meeting that the Egyptians supported the PA’s stance regarding
the peace talks with Israel, especially the need to halt all settlement
construction.
The Egyptian leaders also voiced support for Abbas’s
initiative to visit the Gaza Strip for talks with Hamas officials on ways of
ending the crisis with Fatah, Abed Rabbo said.