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PA suspends peace talks with Israel over Gaza violence
The Palestinian Authority leadership in the West Bank on Saturday announced it was halting peace talks with Israel over Israel Defense Forces raids in the Gaza Strip, in which two IDF soldiers and at least 61 Palestinians were killed over the course of the day.
Chief Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qureia notified Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni of the decision on Saturday evening.
Earlier, Livni had vowed that the IDF would continue to operate against militants in Gaza, despite the PA's threats to suspend negotiations. "Even if the Palestinians suspend talks, it won't influence in any way the decisions or operations Israel carries out to defend its citizens," she said, adding "From the beginning this was the basis of talks with the moderate elements in the Palestinian Authority."
Abbas called on Saturday for the United Nations Security Council to hold urgent discussions on the latest round of fighting in the Gaza Strip.
"The president has asked for an urgent session of the Security Council," Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeinah said in a statement, adding that Abbas had already contacted Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on this issue.
Hazem Abu Shanab, a senior member of the Fatah faction in Gaza, called the IDF incursion a "real massacre against all of us."
In Jerusalem, Foreign Ministry officials were meeting to discuss the violence in Gaza and its implications for the talks.
Ministry spokesman Arye Mekel said as far as Israel was concerned, "talks are based on the understanding that when advancing the peace process with pragmatic [Palestinian] sources, Israel will continue to fight terror that hurts its people."
Abbas, who remains hostile to Hamas in particular since the group's violent takeover of Gaza last June, called Israel's threats
and preparations to target the Strip "dangerous."
Jordan and Egypt condemn IDF action
In a telephone call with Abbas later Saturday, Jordan's King Abdullah II condemned the the Israeli operations in the Gaza Strip, according to the official Petra news agency and described them as violating all the international conventions.
The Foreign Ministry of Egypt, which along with Jordan has a peace
treaty with Israel, also condemned the Israeli military actions.
"It is regretful that Israel carries out these operations without calculating the consequences on the adopted peace efforts," the statement said.
Another statement issued by Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohammed Mahdi Akef condemned the Israeli military actions. "I will quote the Israeli defense minister as describing it as a Holocaust," it said.
More
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/959608.html
Earlier, Livni had vowed that the IDF would continue to operate against militants in Gaza, despite the PA's threats to suspend negotiations. "Even if the Palestinians suspend talks, it won't influence in any way the decisions or operations Israel carries out to defend its citizens," she said, adding "From the beginning this was the basis of talks with the moderate elements in the Palestinian Authority."
Abbas called on Saturday for the United Nations Security Council to hold urgent discussions on the latest round of fighting in the Gaza Strip.
"The president has asked for an urgent session of the Security Council," Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeinah said in a statement, adding that Abbas had already contacted Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on this issue.
Hazem Abu Shanab, a senior member of the Fatah faction in Gaza, called the IDF incursion a "real massacre against all of us."
In Jerusalem, Foreign Ministry officials were meeting to discuss the violence in Gaza and its implications for the talks.
Ministry spokesman Arye Mekel said as far as Israel was concerned, "talks are based on the understanding that when advancing the peace process with pragmatic [Palestinian] sources, Israel will continue to fight terror that hurts its people."
Abbas, who remains hostile to Hamas in particular since the group's violent takeover of Gaza last June, called Israel's threats
and preparations to target the Strip "dangerous."
Jordan and Egypt condemn IDF action
In a telephone call with Abbas later Saturday, Jordan's King Abdullah II condemned the the Israeli operations in the Gaza Strip, according to the official Petra news agency and described them as violating all the international conventions.
The Foreign Ministry of Egypt, which along with Jordan has a peace
treaty with Israel, also condemned the Israeli military actions.
"It is regretful that Israel carries out these operations without calculating the consequences on the adopted peace efforts," the statement said.
Another statement issued by Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohammed Mahdi Akef condemned the Israeli military actions. "I will quote the Israeli defense minister as describing it as a Holocaust," it said.
More
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/959608.html
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Mahmoud Abbas's comments on Saturday came as more Israeli air raids brought the total death toll over four days to 88 people, at least a third of which have been children, according to medical sources.
Fifty-four people were killed during Saturday's raids alone.
"It's very regrettable that what is happening is more than a holocaust," Abbas told reporters in Ramallah.
"Children who are barely five-months old are being bombed by the Israeli army."
"We tell the world to see with its own eyes and judge for itself what is happening and who is carrying out international terrorism."
More
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/0C8EBD66-032E-4470-82FB-005D6A2B5186.htm