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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Abbas breaks contact with Israel |
| 2008-03-02 |
| Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has suspended contact with Israel in protest at an assault on Gaza which has killed about 100 people, an aide says. The suspension came amid angry demonstrations in Gaza and clashes with Israeli troops in the West Bank. Israeli PM Ehud Olmert vowed to carry on the assault, which came in response to militant rocket attacks on Israel. The violence intensified on Saturday, when nearly 70 people were killed in one of Gaza's bloodiest days in years. Local doctors said at least 13 of the Palestinians were civilians, including eight children. At least another five people were killed overnight in Gaza. Egypt said it had opened its border crossing with Gaza and was letting critically injured Palestinians across to get medical attention. Reports say at least 100 people will be allowed in. The fighting has drawn international calls for restraint, with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the US urging both sides to halt the violence. But Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said his country needed to prepare for an escalation of its air and ground operations in Gaza. Rocket attacks on Israel have continued despite the assault on Gaza. Uri Bar Lev, police chief in southern Israel, told the BBC that the border town of Sderot had been targeted by 15 rockets so far on Sunday, and that 10 people had been injured. He added that about 50 rockets were falling on the town each day. One Israeli died in an attack earlier this week. Palestinian rockets have reached as far as the Israeli town Ashkelon, 16km (10 miles) from the Gaza Strip. |
| Posted by:lotp |
| #1 Boo-freakin'-hoo. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2008-03-02 20:36 |