Hamas and Islamic Jihad officials warned Tuesday that the factions planned to launch new methods of resistance if Israel continued lethal force against Palestinians.
In a rally organized by the Islamic movements in Gaza City, officials said that the groups would join the “Intifada” if the “occupation continues to execute Palestinians.”
The rally was held in a display of support for the ongoing upheaval in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank.
During a speech, Islamic Jihad leader Khalid al-Batsh said:“Al-Quds Brigades and al-Qassam Brigades won’t accept it that only one side bleeds,” the leader added, referring to the military wings of Islamic Jihad and Hamas.
Addressing Israel, al-Batsh said: “Your crimes won’t succeed to stop the Intifada, and you will pay a heavy toll for executions you conduct in the field.”
He urged the Palestinian Authority to stop security coordination with Israel “once and for all” and to side with resistance against the Israeli occupation.
In a similar speech, senior Hamas official Ismail Radwan urged the Palestinian people to count on Palestinian resistance factions to “deter the occupation.”
Both factions warned that efforts underway to reach a compromise between Israeli and Palestinian sides were a farce, and urged Palestinians to reject them as such.
At least 71 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces and at least nine Israelis were killed in attacks by Palestinian individuals as violence escalated last month.
Demonstrations and attacks have been orchestrated largely in the absence of political leadership and Palestinian factions have yet to exceed anything beyond vocal support for the actions.
As the West Bank-based PA called for calm last month, frustration has grown among the Palestinian public as critics argue that the body’s continued security coordination with Israel works to bolster Israeli control and ongoing occupation.
World leaders, including US Secretary of State John Kerry and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, meanwhile, have re-launched efforts for a solution to bring an end to current unrest but any solid moves have yet to be made.
