Palestinians seeking quiet in south, PLO leader says
Israel Radio: Ex-negotiator warns of Israeli ground incursion if violence does not stop
Senior Palestine Liberation Organization official Saeb Erekat has called for quiet in the south, saying it is the Palestinians’ top priority, Israel Radio reported.
He warned that Israel may carry out a ground incursion into the Gaza Strip — as a precursor to military action against Iran or in southern Lebanon. A ceasefire should be reciprocal for both sides, he added.
Erekat joins Tony Blair, envoy of the Quartet for Mideast peace, and other international leaders in calling for an immediate ceasefire. Despite hopes of a ceasefire Sunday, Israel and Hamas did not agree to one.
Channel 2 reported that Hamas, the overarching authority in the Gaza Strip, does not want the conflict to escalate. The Islamic Jihad has claimed responsibility for most of the rockets, with others being claimed by the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC).
Israel Radio reported that Ahmed Almudalal, an Islamic Jihad leader, said in an interview that it was a shame that Hamas was not participating in the firing of rockets at Israel, saying it detracted from the Palestinians’ resistance movement.
Some 140 rockets have been launched at southern Israel from the Gaza Strip since Friday. The mass launching began after Israel assassinated terror leader Zuhair al-Qaissi, who headed the PRC. Twenty-five Gazans have been killed in reciprocal Israeli airstrikes.
Saeb Erekat was the PLO’s main negotiator with Israel until February 2011.