GAZA CITY — The Fatah movement headed by Palestinian Authority
Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has announced an offensive against Israel.
Fatah's Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades has launched what it said was a
military campaign against Israel. The military wing termed the operation
"The Call of Al Aqsa," and said it would focus on missile strikes on the
Jewish state.
Over the last week, Fatah and Islamic Jihad have intensified missile
strikes against Israel, Middle East Newsline reported. Israel's military has not responded.
In a statement on Feb. 12, Al Aqsa announced an alert inside and outside
the PA. Fatah said operatives would attack what it termed the "enemy
everywhere."
The statement said Fatah would fire hundreds of missiles into Israel.
Fatah identified the weapon as the Al Aqsa-103, regarded as a variant of
Hamas's Kassam-class missile.
Fatah and Hamas have agreed to a unity government in the PA. In its
statement, Fatah said the next government must adopt resistance
against Israel "loudly and clearly."
The Fatah offensive comes as tensions have renewed with Hamas. Hamas has
protested the dismissal of 150 commanders and officers of security agencies
loyal to Abbas. On Tuesday, the Hamas-aligned officers staged a
demonstration in the PLC.
"We consider the dismissal of 150 members from the security bodies,
which are connected with the presidency, to be a political decision and
blight on the Mecca agreement," Salah Bardawil, spokesman for the Hamas
caucus in the Palestinian Legislative Council, said. "It's impossible to
dismiss all these members, all members of the Islamic movement, without a
political decision."
