Palestinian officials attacked Israel for its Friday raid on the West Bank city of Nablus and accused it of seeking to destroy a truce and US-sponsored peace efforts.
The harsh words came as some 5,000 Palestinians turned out in Nablus for the funerals of three of four Palestinians killed Friday in the raid. One body was still held by the Israeli army, sources said, according to AFP.
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat told reporters in Ramallah that the Israelis "did not only violate the truce but tried to destroy the peace process in general" with military operations on the northern West Bank and elsewhere.
Palestinian officials said Hamas, which lost two members in Nablus, had confirmed they would not respond to the Israeli operation.
But Palestinian culture minister Ziad Abu Amr told AFP after talks with Hamas on Saturday that the group's restraint might not last much longer. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
