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PA Security Chief Exasperated Over Hamas Truce Violations

(AFP/Yahoo) The Palestinian commander tasked with preventing rocket attacks on Jewish settlements in the southern Gaza Strip expressed exasperation Thursday at Hamas's continued violations of a truce agreement but insisted he will not be forced into a direct confrontation. The head of the southern division of the Palestinian national security services said Hamas was not sticking to their side of the bargain. "Many times, they say they are in the cool-down, but then they do something on the ground," General Jamal al-Qayed said from his office in Khan Yunis. "All the factions, all these people have agreed to stop (attacks), to keep things calm. They gave their word; they should keep their word," he said. However, Qayed insisted, "I'm not going to make a fight with the factions. I have to stop them, not kill them. I have orders to prevent them, not to fight them," he said. The upsurge in violence followed the death of a Hamas fighter on the border between Gaza and Egypt Tuesday. While Hamas said the victim was killed by Israeli gunfire, Palestinian security sources believe the Islamist organization orchestrated the incident. "Hamas feels it would be useful for them in the elections so they fabricated this situation," a senior PA official said. "They sent this guy to the border with a bomb in his hand and it exploded."
2005-05-20 00:00:00
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