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Islamic Jihad warns Gaza Strip cease-fire on verge of collapse
 Islamic Jihad said Sunday the week-old Gaza Strip cease-fire is on the verge of collapse, due to what it called repeated Israeli violations. "The calm is on the edge of collapse due to the continued Zionist violations and the attacks against our Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza," Abu Ahmed, a Gaza-based spokesman for the group's armed wing, said in a statement. "Nobody should blame [Islamic Jihad] for any reaction its brigades take in the coming hours in response to the violations by the Zionist occupation," he said.Abu Ahmed called on the Palestinian factions to "reconsider the tahadiyeh [short-term cease-fire] given the violations of the Israeli occupation and the declarations of [Defense Minister[ Amir Peretz." Peretz told a cabinet meeting on Sunday that security forces will continue to operate in the West Bank. Islamic Jihad accused Israel of "more than 70 violations" of the ceasefire but did not specify what they were. Hamas announced Sunday it is pulling out of Palestinian faction talks on extending the cease-fire with Israel to the West Bank. "The comprehensive tahadiyeh must come as a part of a comprehensive national plan, and at this time, the talks on a cease-fire are being held at the expense of talks on internal Palestinian issues," Hamas said in a statement, hinting at the freezing of talks on the formation of a Palestinian unity government. Also Sunday, Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh arrived for talks with Syrian officials and the leaders of Damascus-based Palestinian factions on faltering efforts toward forming a unity government. Haniyeh, who is on his first tour abroad since his Hamas-led government took office in March, was greeted at the airport by Syrian Justice Minister Mohammed al-Ghafari. In brief comments to reporters upon arrival, Haniyeh said his discussions would include "the siege imposed on the Palestinian people." Asked to comment on the demand by PLO leaders that his government resign over the failure to form a moderate coalition acceptable to the West, Haniyeh said, "it is too early to talk about it." Posted by: Fred 2006-12-04 |
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