Shallah says world failed to check Israeli arrogance but resistance did

[ 18/01/2009 - 10:14 AM ]

DOHA, (PIC)--

Ramadan Shallah, the secretary general of the Islamic Jihad Movement, has asserted that the Israeli occupation forces and leadership had failed in achieving any of their declared aims of the war on Gaza.

Shallah, in a press statement commenting on the Israeli terrorist government premier Ehud Olmert's address, in which he declared a unilateral ceasefire in Gaza, said that Olmert had failed in changing the de facto situation in Gaza, which is ending the Hamas rule. He also failed in halting the firing of rockets from the Strip, Shallah added.

The Jihad leader said that despite the fact that his Movement was not participating in the Hamas government in Gaza "we declare that the Hamas government is the legitimately elected government in Gaza".

He said that Olmert's statement that the decision was taken in response to an Egyptian request constituted an offense to Egypt because it indicated that Egypt was capable since the start of the aggression to stop it but it did not.

The world has failed to check the "Zionist entity's arrogance" but he Palestinian resistance stood fast and refused to bow to Olmert's conditions, Shallah elaborated.

He underlined that the continued presence of IOF troops in Gaza after the ceasefire declaration would make them targets for the resistance until the departure of the last soldier from Gaza lands.

Another Jihad leader, Sheikh Khader Habib, stressed that his Movement would continue to resist IOF soldiers as long as they remained in Gaza and as long as the siege on Gaza persisted.

He said that Olmert's ceasefire declaration did not concern his Movement because it was unilateral, adding that the IOF did not achieve anything in its campaign against Gaza except killing hundreds of children and women.