 |
 |
 |
|
|
PA police officers inspect the damaged UN club in Gaza. Armed Palestinians briefly seized it early Sunday Jan 1. (AP)
|
|
|
|
|
|
| By Israel Insider staff and partners January 1, 2006 |
|
| |
Two Palestinians were killed in Israel's first deadly airstrike since declaring the Gaza border area off limits, just as a truce that has drastically reduced violence formally ended, with its future uncertain.
Israel's air force hit terrorists who were about to launch a rocket at Israel late Saturday night. Israel declared the northern Gaza-Israel border a "no-go" zone, warning that Palestinians entering the zone could be shot.
The area includes the ruins of Israeli settlements destroyed when Israel pulled out of Gaza in the summer. Since then, terrorists have been firing rockets near the border, bringing more Israeli communities, including the outskirts of the city of Ashkelon, into range.
Speaking to reporters at the Gaza hospital where the casualties were taken, Hamas spokesman Mushir al-Masri threatened revenge against Israel. He did not rule out extending the truce, which several terror groups have ended, but a separate statement from Hamas terrorists referred to the end of the cease-fire and plans for retaliation.
The Palestinian Interior Ministry issued a statement condemning the Israeli strike, saying a shell hit a Palestinian post, hindering police efforts to stop terrorists from firing a rocket at Israel.
Early Sunday, armed Palestinians stormed the U.N. club on the Gaza City beach, injuring the guard, a Palestinian, and throwing two explosive devices, security officials said.
The U.N. club is known as the only place in Gaza City where alcohol is served, but it was closed when the attack took place after 2 a.m. (0000 GMT). Only foreigners are allowed inside.
One of the explosives damaged the bar of the seaside building and broke many of the liquor bottles. Fallen plaster from the ceiling littered the floor.
A flag from the U.N. refugee agency UNRWA flies over the building. A U.N. security official, who refused to give his name, said the club has been in operation for 15 years, but this is the first time such an incident has happened.
Islamic fundamentalists, powerful in Gaza, object to sale and consumption of liquor, but it was not immediately known who the attackers were.
Gaza has been hit by an increasing wave of lawlessness in recent months, with armed gangs storming government buildings and election offices as well as kidnapping foreigners and shooting at each other in the streets.
The cease-fire, declared Feb. 8 at a gala summit conference in Egypt with follow-up talks among Palestinian factions in March, significantly reduced the level of violence that began in September 2000. However, each side has frequently accused the other of violations.
Egypt has been sponsoring talks among the various Palestinian factions to try to keep the truce in place.
The Islamic terrorist group Hamas has largely kept the cease-fire and hinted it could continue. Al-Masri said, "The truce stems from higher national Palestinian interests" and that it would "be subject to the upcoming Palestinian dialogue."
However, he charged that Israel had not lived up to its part of the deal and warned, "It will not be a one-sided truce."
Islamic Jihad, which carried out all six suicide bomb attacks since the truce went into effect, released an ambiguous statement on Saturday.
"We reaffirm that the official end of the truce agreed to in Cairo last March comes at midnight on Saturday," the statement said. It was not clear whether Islamic Jihad would participate in talks on extending the cease-fire.
At least two of several dozen armed groups affiliated with Fatah also noted that the cease-fire expired Saturday night.
In Gaza, a statement of the Fatah-affiliated Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades said Israeli strikes in Gaza "blew up any truce" and called on all groups to try to carry out suicide attacks against Israel.
Fatah, the party of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, celebrates the anniversary of its founding on Jan. 1, and leaders hoped to turn the day's rallies into a show of strength in advance of the Jan. 25 election.
Hamas is fielding candidates in parliamentary elections for the first time, expecting to make significant inroads into the strength of Fatah, which has been mired in internal squabbling and is blamed by many for years of inept and corrupt rule.
The Palestinian leader has been unable to impose order, particularly in Gaza.
Abbas said the lawlessness is hurting the Palestinians and hampering economic development. "The chaos and security lapses create fertile ground for our enemies to hold back our people as they struggle for freedom and independence," he said in a TV address broadcast Saturday evening.
Abbas said he would "spare no effort to solve the problems of our sons," suggesting he'll try to coax the gunmen off the streets, rather than arrest them. Most of the vigilantes have ties to Fatah.
The AP contributed to this report.
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
Click on the blue headline to read a Talkback comment and respond to it. Click on the  icon to send a private email to the talkback writer. The icon appears only if the writer has decided to be contacted. If no popup window appears, please make sure your popup blocker allows israelinsider.com.
|
|
| |
|
|
