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PA: World reaction 'disproportionate'
Palestinian officials and leaders have blasted the muted world condemnation of the recent Israeli onslaught in the Gaza Strip. At least 56 Palestinians have been killed, most of them in Gaza, since Israel launched its latest offensive, Operation Days of Reckoning, this week. About 200 tanks and armoured vehicles have been operating in the area since Tuesday. To the dismay of many international observers and the Palestinians the US called on Israel to use only "proportional force" in its ongoing military operations in Gaza.A statement issued by the Palestinian cabinet on Saturday denounced what it called "world silence in the face of the magnitude of crimes committed". The statement called on the international quartet that drafted a Middle East peace plan last year to intervene immediately to protect the Palestinian people. "I think the American reaction, along with the international reaction, doesn't rise to the crimes committed against our people," Saib Uraiqat, member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, told Aljazeera.net on Saturday. "I believe the lack of proper American and international reaction will be translated by the Israelis to further escalations," he added. Uraiqat blamed the US for the escalation saying: "It is cost- free to blame the Palestinians but it is not cost-free to blame the Israelis. This is the imbalance in the Israeli-Palestinian relationship." Posted by: Fred 2004-10-03 |
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