Israel attack on Gaza pre-planned
Palestine-Israel, Politics, 7/1/2006

Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot reported that the Israeli government threatened to kill of Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Hanyieh if an abducted Israeli soldier was killed.

Israel said "In the framework of the extension of operations to return the soldier Corporal Gilad Shalit and to remove the threat of Qassam rockets launched at Israel from the Gaza Strip," the Israeli forces "distributed announcements from the air into the southern Gaza Strip, with the purpose of warning the Palestinian citizens against staying in areas in which the Israeli forces will operate against terror infrastructures," adding "Anyone who interrupts IDF forces activities, conducted in order to complete the mission to bring the kidnapped soldier home safely, will be in danger."

An Israeli report said "Israel has rejected a new set of demands issued by Palestinian groups involved in the kidnapping of IDF Corporal Gilad Shalit, saying there will be no negotiations with terrorist organizations over the soldier's release. .. Three Palestinian groups issued a statement early Saturday calling on Israel to release a thousand prisoners and to halt its Gaza offensive. The statement did not say that Shalit would be released in return."

Meantime, Palestinian Presidency Spokesperson, Nabil Abu Rdaina, said Saturday that fuel and foodstuff will be allowed entry into Gaza Strip this Sunday.

He told WAFA that gas and food will enter into Gaza through Karni Crossing, east of Gaza.

Gas stations across the Gaza Strip ran dry, and human rights groups worried that if fuel shipments were not restored in the coming days, Gaza could face a real human crisis.

Rdina, said that President Mahmoud Abbas sent a letter to Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa calling him to transfer money, specified for the Palestinian people, to the account of the Palestinian authority.

The Permanent Observer of Palestine at the UN, Dr. Riyad Mansour, said the Palestinian civilian population being held captive under Israel's belligerent military occupation.

During the Security Council 5481st Meeting, held Friday, at the request of Qatar and the Arab League following moves by President Mahmoud Abbas, Mansour asserted that Israel's recent military aggression was "clearly premeditated and planned" well prior to the capture of the Israeli military solider on June 25.

He added that Israel had been issuing threats about launching a major invasion of the Gaza Strip.

"Then, on June 28, after amassing thousands of troops along the southern border of the Gaza Strip, Israel launched an air and ground military assault by warplanes and tank artillery bombardment, punishing and terrorizing the civilian population."

Israel then, he added, expanded its aggression into the West Bank, carrying out kidnappings and detention of at least 64 Palestinians, the majority of them high-ranking, democratically-elected officials and holding them, along with 9,000 Palestinians, in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation called Friday for stopping Israel's attacks on Gaza.

In an action alert, the Campaign said Israel's month of killing civilians and destroying civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip is a clear reminder that Israel remains the occupying power of the Gaza Strip despite last year's "unilateral disengagement."

It added living under military occupation, the Palestinians of the Gaza Strip are "protected persons" under the terms of the Geneva Conventions.

"Israel's targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip is a violation of the Geneva Conventions and constitutes war crimes."

The Campaign urged the Americans to take action by holding Israel to account for its killing of civilians and destruction of civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip.

It called on them to contact the White House, State Department, and Members of Congress to "demand that Israel is held accountable for its violations of the US Arms Export Control Act and Foreign Assistance Act and urge that military aid to Israel be cut off as required by law."

Previous Stories:
  USA position on Israeli attack on Gaza   (6/29/2006)
  Israel abducts of 8 Palestinian ministers, parliamentarians   (6/29/2006)
  Israel acts violate Geneva Convention; international silence   (6/29/2006)

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