RAMALLAH, 19 March 2005 — A Palestinian group rejected yesterday the deal reached in Cairo to extend a cessation of attacks against Israel.
The Popular Resistance Committee of the Intifada, an umbrella group that consists of several militant groups, said that as far as it was concerned the informal cease-fire with Israel expired starting today.
Its spokesman, Abu Abeer, warned Israelis to prepare for a resumption of attacks against them, particularly rocket fire at the town of Sderot northeast of the Gaza Strip.
“Let the residents of Sderot return to their shelters. They can expect things that they haven’t seen yet,” he told Israeli media.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas played down the militant faction’s decision saying “this is an internal issue between us that we can deal with.”
Speaking with reporters after arriving in Ramallah following successful talks in Cairo with 13 Palestinian factions on extending a truce with Israel, Abbas praised the Cairo talks as “good Palestinian successes agreed on by all the factions”.
The Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, agreed to maintain a two-month-old period of “calm” until the end of the year on condition Israel releases Palestinian security prisoners and stops attacks in the West Bank and Gaza.
Abbas said Israel “should also stop violations (of the truce) so that everyone will abide by it.”
Meanwhile, Israel yesterday banned its citizens from moving into Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip, aiming to forestall a feared influx of ultra-nationalists bent on blocking a pullout from the occupied territory this summer.
The military issued the decree as the government set March 29 for a crucial parliamentary debate on the 2005 state budget. It must be passed by March 31 or Sharon will be forced into a snap election, shelving the Gaza withdrawal.
In a statement, the army said it had issued orders “prohibiting the relocation of Israeli citizens into the Gaza Strip”, namely 21 settlements earmarked for removal under Sharon’s bid to “disengage” from conflict with the Palestinians.
— With input from agencies
