GAZA STRIP, 17 July 2005 — President Mahmoud Abbas has warned Palestinians against violating law and order in the Palestinian territories.
Abbas addressed a speech last night to the Palestinian people after the Gaza Strip witnesses armed confrontation in the last two days between Hamas fighters and Palestinian security and police forces.
“We are not going to allow the terrorizing of residents and we will not deal lightly with those who try to challenge and violate the rule of law. We will prosecute all those who violated the law and attacked out property,” said Abbas in a televised speech.
Abbas called on all the Palestinian factions to respect the Palestinian Authority (PA), be committed to its rule as well as to the period of calmness that was declared and accepted last March in Cairo.
Abbas in his speech was very critical of Hamas, accusing it of undermining the Palestinian national interests and preventing Israel from implementing its plan to withdraw from Gaza.
“We are determined to end the status of anarchy, chaos and security deterioration, and we are carrying out measures and actions that would devote law and discipline,” said Abbas in his speech.
He slammed Palestinian groups, mainly Hamas and Islamic Jihad, for continuing bomb attacks and firing rockets at Israel and at Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip in violation of the truce.
Abbas also described firing rockets as “absurdist actions that just bring our people disaster and severe harm”.
“We asserted that we would never be dragged into a civil war, where I explained this in Damascus to Hamas leaders as well as other factions and parties’ leaders,” Abbas said.
He added that during his meetings with leaders of the Palestinian factions and parties in Damascus last week, “we reiterated the commitments of self-control and restraint and not to respond to the Israeli provocations.”
“But the surprising thing is that one faction is using a double policy: On one hand it says it is committed to the calmness and discipline and on the other practicing completely opposite actions that aim to weaken the Palestinian Authority and break its strength,” said Abbas.
Abbas held Israel completely responsible for the current escalation of violence.
