Wednesday, February 14, ?2001

15:30 (Palestine), 13:30 GMT

Ramallah – The Palestinian National Authority warned today against increasing Israeli military escalation in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip adding that it can lead to an unprecedented explosion in the region.

An official statement published today (Wednesday, February 14, 2001) by the Palestine Media Center- PMC said “the military activities being carried out by the Israeli occupation army, against unarmed innocent civilians in Khan Younis, Beit Jala, Beit Sahour, Al-Bireh, and other Palestinian areas, require an immediate serious international movement, to prevent Barak from paying for his partnership with the coming Sharon government in Palestinian blood.”

The PMC added that “the recent Israeli escalation, which included shelling, destruction of property, and assassinations comes during the last days of the Barak government, and sends a clear signal on the hostile nature of the ongoing deliberations on forming a coalition government in Israel.

The PMC’s statement stressed that “Israeli violence can only breed counter violence and cited the bus attack this morning south of Tel-Aviv which resulted in the death of 9 Israeli soldiers, adding that this incident came as an expected response to shelling, assassinations, and use of poisonous gases against the Palestinians, who have also been under a choking military and economic siege since more than 4 months.

The PMC concluded its statement saying that “the international community should recognize the grave danger associated with the current Israeli military escalation”, adding that “the Palestinians who have made every possible concession for the sake of establishing peace and security in the region will continue in their legitimate struggle to achieve their national rights recognized by the world community including their right of return, and establishing an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.

For more information, please contact the PMC: