The PLO Executive Committee shouldered on Saturday Israeli government the responsibility for the escalation in Gaza Strip (GS). During a meeting in Ramallah city, headed by President Mahmoud Abbas, the Committee condemned the Israeli assassination of three Palestinians in Tulkarem city on Friday, saying that this act is a serious breach to the truce, and it will lead to a collapse of the security situation.
Earlier, Dr. Mahmoud Al-Zahhar, a prominent Hamas political leader, charged the PA interior ministry is playing the role of the "Satan's lawyer" whose task is to defend Israel and to launch media campaigns against Hamas.
"The PA stance and that of its spokesman indicate that the ministry's task is to wage a media war against Hamas and to market the Israeli stance. It is also playing the role of Satan's lawyer at this time without caring less for the Palestinian street's unity at this crucial stage," Zahhar told reporters on Saturday.
He harshly castigated the ministry for issuing conflicting statements on Friday's carnage in which 91 Palestinians, including children and Hamas' activists, were either killed or wounded.
"On what evidence the PA interior ministry depended in claiming that its statements are correct? And who did carry out investigations and who arrived at the scene in the first place?" he wondered.
"The problem doesn’t lie with us, but rather it lies with the PA. Does the stance adopted by the interior ministry represent the PA? We want a clear answer to such a question," Zahhar stated.
When asked on whether Hamas was bent on presenting a memo of protest to the PA over the interior ministry's utterances blaming Hamas for the Jabalya bombing, he replied, "We are now collecting our martyrs' scattered remains then we would sit with the PA to discuss such an issue".
He mentioned an evidence proving Israel's responsibility for Jabalya massacre, saying, "There are clear proofs to support our claims, the first such proof is that we never carry explosives during rallies especially those organized in the crowded places where chemical reactions might take place. Besides, there are electronic chips pulled out from the martyrs' bodies, which were displayed to the media.
The Hamas' leader in conclusion further charged that Israel's denial of responsibility for such a "heinous crime" was intended to ignite internal conflicts amongst the Palestinians and to block the Movement from contesting the legislative elections scheduled for next January.
