Egyptian officials informed of next Israeli strike on Gaza

[ 30/10/2010 - 05:11 PM ]
 
GAZA, (PIC)--

Top Egyptian officials informed Palestinian authorities in Ramallah that Israel has its sights set on launching a military strike on the Gaza Strip by the end of 2010, political analyst Mustafa Al Sawaf said, adding that Cairo has placed conditions to hinder agreement between Palestinian factions on security issues.

Sawaf told the PIC Saturday that he was informed by sources who accompanied a visit by Egyptian officials to the PA headquarters in Ramallah last Thursday that Egyptian intelligence minister Omar Sulaiman told Abbas that Netanyahu’s security consultant, who visited Cairo a few days back, informed Egypt that Israel will carry out a military strike on the Gaza Strip before the year’s end. Quoting informed sources, Sawaf said Omar Sulaiman told Abbas that Netanyahu’s consultant said the Israeli government was not content with Hamas’s growing military strength or with humanitarian aid convoys allowed to be sent to the Gaza Strip through Egypt.

Sawaf speculated that the Egyptian government may tighten its blockade on the Gaza Strip by denying the passage of aid convoys and sympathizers and monitoring borders to stop the import of weapons to Gaza.

Sawaf said that Cairo imposed conditions on Fatah negotiators before going to meet with Hamas in Damascus to discuss security issues mainly not to accept that Hamas cadres would assume command of any security forces in the West Bank or the Gaza Strip, but the Egyptian regime did not object to Hamas members acting as elements of such security forces.

Hamas would not agree to such conditions, the political analyst asserted, which means that a reconciliation relied on by the Palestinian people would not be achieved.

“We’re not talking about this to undermine Egypt, as Egypt is too big to be undermined, but we put these matters out there now so the picture becomes clear to everyone, and to reveal the nature of the [Egyptian] regime, which works to materialize the interests of Israel and America at the expense of the interests of the Palestinian people,” the writer went on to say.

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Haniya doubts reports on new Gaza war

Published Saturday 30/10/2010 (updated) 31/10/2010 22:16 GAZA CITY

(Ma'an) --

Gaza government Prime Minister Ismail Haniya said Saturday that Israeli threats to launch a new offensive on the Strip were psychological warfare, but that he did not think a new attack was approaching.

Speaking at a mass wedding for those injured in the last war on Gaza, Haniya said threats of war could not harm Palestinians' spirits or ability to survive. The wedding party was evidence of that, he said.

Haniya's comments echoed earlier remarks by Hamas leader Ismail Radwan, who said statements by senior Israeli army officials threatening a new war on Gaza were propaganda to be consumed by local media for the benefit of Israelis.

Radwan added that the resistance movement in the Strip was ready to respond if Israel did attack Gaza. Such offensives did not break the resistance of Palestinians in the past, and they would not break or intimidate Palestinians now, he said.

Hamas official Salah Al-Bardawil however said Saturday that Israel was preparing to launch a new offensive on the Strip in order to disrupt reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah. The rival factions are said to be close to ending their division, and both parties have said security remains the only issue to be resolved before Hamas signs an Egyptian-mediated unity paper, which Fatah has already ratified.

Several high-ranking Israeli officers have made statements to the media recently warning of a repeat of Israel's last war on the coastal enclave, which left 1,400 Palestinians dead and thousands more injured. One senior officer, quoted in the Israeli daily Haaretz, said if another soldier was captured Israel's response would be no less severe than the December 2008 war. In September, commander Eyal Eisenberg warned that the next war on Gaza would be a "more painful, complex, and powerful round" in an interview with the Israeli news site Ynet.

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Bardawil: Israel paving way for next strike on Gaza Strip

[ 30/10/2010 - 04:07 PM ]
 
GAZA, (PIC)--

Senior Hamas official Salah Al-Bardawil said during a political seminar staged by Hamas’s press bureau on Friday that Israel has been contacting Palestinian Authority officials to thwart national reconciliation efforts and ultimately point an accusing finger at Hamas to pave the way for a military strike on the Gaza Strip.

Bardawil stressed that the U.S. and Israel have vetoed out an agreement between the two Palestinian movements in order to prevent the presence of Hamas security leaders in the West Bank.

Informed sources said PA military security leaders in the West Bank have informed the Fat'h delegation assigned with discussing reconciliation with Hamas that they will not accept any substantive changes to the security structure in the West Bank if Fatah comes to an agreement with Hamas.

The PA also said it will honor all agreements and understandings made with international parties that contributed to reconstructing its security forces. The majority of PA leaders said that if an agreement was signed in the reconciliation process, it would not be binding.

Locals reported Saturday that PA security forces arrested two Hamas supporters in Ramallah and Nablus, and more than 20 students from the Najah University. Other detainees were released with marks of torture on their bodies.

An ex-detainee said the PA security prisons in Al-Khalil have refused to provide prisoners with warm clothing to protect them from the rough winter weather.

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Egypt denies entry of European Gaza-bound aid convoy

[ 30/10/2010 - 02:34 PM ]
 
GAZA, (PIC)--

Egyptian authorities have flat-out rejected requests by an international humanitarian aid convoy dubbed “The Road To Hope” to cross through Egypt to Gaza by land, exclusive sources told the PIC, adding that efforts are being made for the convoy to change its course by sea from the Libyan Benghazi port to the Egyptian city of El-Arish.

The sources mentioned Saturday morning that the convoy has been held up for more than eight days on the Libyan-Egyptian border. Egyptian authorities have refused to let the convoy enter by land.

Hundreds of participants joined the convoy after Libyan air lines offered a special discount of up to 50 per cent for participants arriving by air.

“Road to Hope” arrived at Libya from England Friday night en route to Gaza. Several important Libyan officials received the convoy upon its arrival.

The Libyan News Agency said Friday a public celebration was held the previous night to mark the convoy’s arrival at the Al Batnan area in eastern Libya.

Led by known rights activist Kevin O’Keefe, the convoy carries 300 Arab and European activists and 160 cars on board.