Israel attacks
Palestinian
Prime Minister’s office
GAZA (PL).—Israel has escalated the level of its
aggression against this autonomous Palestinian area
by attacking the office of prime Minister Ismael
Haniye and announcing that leaders of the Islamic
movement are to be tried.
|
Prime Minister
Ismael Haniye and
President Mahmud Abbas reviewing
the damage to the Premier’s office. |
The operation followed heavy bombardments of
civilian areas, the kidnapping of high-ranking
government leaders, including ministers, and
threatening statements from Israeli Prime Minister
Ehud Olmert.
The Israeli military invasion began last
Wednesday on the pretext of rescuing one of its
soldiers, abducted by a Palestinian commando unit
after an attack on a military base in a daring
surprise raid.
The Palestinian Prime Minister was not in his
office at the time of the attack, but visited the
building shortly afterwards to assess the damage. He
commented that the attack "is the politics of
arrogance," according to press sources.
At his side, President Mahmud Abbas criticized
the bombing raid and called on the world to "understand
that this is a veritable criminal act."
A Palestinian presidential advisor acknowledged
the continuation of Egyptian diplomatic efforts to
achieve the release of the Israeli soldier although
without tangible results.
The abductors of the soldier are demanding the
release of women and minors imprisoned in Israel, a
demand that Tel Aviv has rejected.
The Israeli action and the enormous material
damage, further aggravating the situation in the
impoverished Gaza Strip, is interfering with the
search for an understanding between Abbas and Haniye
on the peace plan for Palestine.
