Abbas condemns rocket fire into Israel, calls on armed Gaza factions to respect unity deal

Following attack, PM says Abbas is responsible for rockets fired from Gaza on Israeli towns; projectile lands near road in Eshkol Regional Council.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. (photo credit: REUTERS)
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the firing of a rocket into southern Israel from the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, after Israel made clear that he would be held responsible for such attacks in the wake of the Fatah-Hamas unity agreement.
In a statement carried on official Palestinian news agency WAFA, Abbas demanded that all Palestinian factions comply with the ceasefire deal agreed on following December 2012's Operation Pillar of Defense, and refrain from attacks in holding with the Palestinian reconciliation accord signed between Fatah and Hamas.
Abbas called on those responsible for the rocket fire "not to give Israel any pretext to continue its attacks on Gaza."

Following a Code Red missile alert siren, a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip fell in an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council on Wednesday morning. The rocket reportedly fell near a major road of the area.
There were no injuries reported in the attack. 
Following the rocket attack Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's office released a statement saying that  Abbas was responsible for rockets fired at Israeli towns and cities by terrorists in the Gaza Strip. 
At the beginning of the month, the Israel Air Force struck two terror targets in the Gaza Strip in response to Palestinian rocket fire.