GAZA/JERUSALEM: Rival factions battle in Gaza streets, Israeli FM says Palestinians must cease attacks on Israel

Record ID: 344075

  • Title: GAZA/JERUSALEM: Rival factions battle in Gaza streets, Israeli FM says Palestinians must cease attacks on Israel
  • Date: 12th June 2007
  • Summary: (W3) JERUSALEM (JUNE 12, 2007) (REUTERS) CONVOY CARRYING DUTCH FOREIGN MINISTER MAXIME VERHAGEN ARRIVING AT ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTRY BUILDING ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER TZIPI LIVNI GREETING VERHAGEN LIVNI AND VERHAGEN SHAKING HANDS LIVNI AND VERHAGEN ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER TZIPI LIVNI SAYING: "So, in the long run, this dual strategy is to keep the pressure on the terrorist organisations, stop the infiltration and smuggling of weapons into Gaza Strip, plus a dialogue between Prime Minister Olmert and Abu Mazen. But clearly, the problem in Gaza Strip is not only an Israel problem. This is also a Palestinian problem. If they want to see some fruitful dialogue, if they want to see a real political horizon between Israel, they have to understand from the Israeli perspective this is a kind of test case. And since we left Gaza Strip, the response was attacks on Israel without any reason. So they have to understand that for their own benefit and future, they need to stop it." REPORTERS AT PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) DUTCH FOREIGN MINISTER MAXIME VERHAGEN SAYING: "The Netherlands, in relation, in concert, to the partners in this region, will stick to the Quartet principles as long as, for example, Hamas supports and participates in terrorism, it's not an acceptable partner in our discussions and contacts. At the same time, there's a need for a short term step, short term package of steps between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. We discussed this quite long during our discussions." VERHAGEN AND LIVNI DEPARTING NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 27th June 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: War / Fighting
  • Reuters ID: LVAPQ4FT916D6JPQK2E2IWCEKOP
  • Story Text: As fierce factional clashes continue in Gaza, Israel says militants in Gaza need to stop launching attacks on Israel. The Fatah movement led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will decide within hours if it should quit the three-month-old unity government with Hamas Islamists, officials from the secular group said on Tuesday (June 11).
    Hamas and Fatah have been locked in a power struggle that has touched off a wave of fighting in which at least 20 people have been killed since Saturday.
    During a meeting with her Dutch counterpart, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said militants in Gaza needed to end attacks on Israel if there is hope for improved relations.
    "But clearly, the problem in Gaza Strip is not only an Israel problem. This is also a Palestinian problem," Livni said at a news conference.
    "If they want to see some fruitful dialogue, if they want to see a real political horizon between Israel, they have to understand from the Israeli perspective that this is a kind of test case. And since we left Gaza Strip, the response was attacks on Israel without any reason. So they have to understand, for their own benefit and future, they need to stop it."
    Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen said his country supports the Quartet of Middle East negotiators' embargo of Hamas, but encouraged Israel to take steps to reach out to others in the Palestinian Authority.
    "The Netherlands, in relation - in concert to the partners in this region, will stick to the Quartet principles as long as, for example, Hamas supports and participates in terrorism, it's not an acceptable partner in our discussions and contacts," Verhagen said.
    "At the same time, there's a need for a short term step, short term package of steps between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. We discussed this quite long during our discussions," Verhagen said.
    In fresh flareups in Gaza, gunmen fired at the home of Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas and at Abbas's office. No one was hurt.
    Hamas gunmen swept into Fatah posts across the coastal territory, capturing some in battles and others without a fight, local residents said. They describing the northern and central Gaza Strip as under Hamas control.
    The violence, described by Gazans as more brutal than in the past, has included a shootout in a hospital, dropping foes to their deaths from high-rise buildings and the execution-style slaying of a Fatah field commander outside his home.
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