[Ma'an] The Islamic Jihad movement warned on Monday of a major Israeli incursion in the Gaza Strip after the recent escalation in Israeli air raids and artillery fire, in which three of the movement's operatives were killed on Sunday evening. Senior Islamic Jihad leader Khalid Al-Batsh in a statement said the Israeli assault clearly indicated that Israel's was in preparation for a major military operation in the Strip by using political and media campaigns to foster international support for "such aggression."
Current political pressure to restart negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians "increases Israel's opportunity to cover up for its aggression," Al-Batsh said.
"It provides Israel with the chance to escape the toll they should pay for war crimes," he added, speaking of Israel's Operation Cast Lead last winter, following which South African jurist Richard Goldstone suggested that war crimes had been carried out during the offensive.
Al-Batsh called on all sides to stop "compromise illusions. If the Arab countries are unable to protect our people, let them at least let the Israelis suffer from isolation and let them pursue Israeli war criminals, instead of helping them out."