Israeli assault aims to abort Palestinian reconciliation: Abbas

Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas said Tuesday that the ongoing Israeli onslaught on the Gaza Strip aims at undermining Palestinian reconciliation.

"The main goal of the Israeli aggression on Gaza is to undermine the Palestinian cause and abort reconciliation," Abbas told a press conference ahead of a PA meeting in Ramallah.

He vowed that Israeli crimes "will not go unpunished".

"It's time to raise a voice against the [Israeli] machine of destruction, which violates all humanitarian laws," he said.

Abbas' Fatah group signed a reconciliation deal with rival Hamas in April to end their years-long conflict. The agreement has resulted in the formation of a unity government.

Since July 7, Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip with fierce aerial bombardments with the ostensible aim of halting rocket fire.

At least 635 Palestinians have been killed – mostly civilians – and more than 4000 others injured in Israel's ongoing offensive, now in its third week.

Thirty Israelis, including two civilians, have been killed since hostilities began.

Abbas said that Egypt has presented a proposal for a Gaza ceasefire at the PA request, going on to say that he held talks with Palestinian groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad and officials in Turkey and Qatar.

"I also met with Hamas political chief Khaled Meshaal to discuss means of halting the [Israeli] assault, reopening crossings and stopping all forms of aggression," he added.

The PA president went on to call for providing international protection for the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Israel's military operation, dubbed "Operation Protective Edge," is the self-proclaimed Jewish state's third major offensive against the densely-populate Gaza Strip – which is home to some 1.8 million Palestinians – within the last six years.

In 2008/9, over 1500 Palestinians were killed in Israel's three-week-long "Operation Cast Lead."

By Qais Abu Samra

englishnews@aa.com.tr

www.aa.com.tr/en