By Ryan Jones
Oct 02, 2005
PLO chief Mahmoud Abbas doesn't understand why Israel continues to pursue, arrest and otherwise eliminate ?Palestinian? terrorists who are planning and training to murder the nation's Jews.
In a speech delivered in Gaza City Friday, Abbas said Israel's anti-terror actions over the past week were unjustifiably escalating tensions.
He ignored the massive terrorist rocket barrage that led to the current IDF offensive.
Official ?Palestinian? forces singularly failed to prevent the bombardment of the Negev town of Sderot last weekend, despite the fact numerous Hamas and Islamic Jihad cells participated in the firing of nearly 50 Kassams.
Nevertheless, Abbas accused Israel of purposely trying to undermine ?efforts by the [Palestinian] Authority to keep the peace.?
?I don?t know what lies behind this policy of the Israeli government,? he said. [Some would say its the lives of Jewish men, women and children living under the threat of Islamic terrorism - Ed.]
Striking a magnanimous note, Abbas said that in spite of the Israeli aggression, he was still urging his terrorist ?brothers...to show restraint.?
According to the terms of the PA's signed agreements with Israel, Abbas is supposed to use the tens of thousands of troops under his command to disarm and dismantle groups such as Hamas, by force if necessary.
PA Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia, meanwhile, said he was shocked by the ?international silence? in the face of Israel's killing of wanted and armed terrorists last week.
?This may cause the area to be dragged into a blood soaked war,? the ?moderate? Qureia declared.