Nuncio in Israel renews Pope's plea for an end to violence in Gaza
Jerusalem (AsiaNews) "I am full of sorrow for what happened yesterday in Gaza, but we continue to hope that the necessary channels needed to restart direct talks may reopen so that we might see peace," said Mg Antonio Franco, the Vatican's diplomatic representative in the Holy Land, who was speaking from the apostolic Nunciature.
In his statement he renewed Pope Benedict XVI's November 5 plea for an end to the violence in Gaza. "The Pope's appeal last Sunday is even more important today in light of the negative developments in the crisis we saw yesterday," he said.
This morning in Beit Hanoun, just outside Gaza City, thousands gathered for the funeral of the 18 Palestinians killed in the Israeli air strike. Tensions were palpable as Islamist and Palestinian flags flapped in the wind, shots were fired in the air, and shouts of vengeance against Israel resounded.
In Israel a state of alert came into effect because the authorities are taking seriously Palestinian threats of retaliation. Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz ordered an end to operations in Gaza and an investigation into what happened last night. The government apologised for the loss of civilian life. Army sources said that the incident was due to a targeting errorone round missed its target, an area used by Palestinian militants to launch rockets into Israel.
Among the victims there were 13 members of the same family.
A Hamas leader, Khaled Meshaal, vowed revenge. "All Palestinian groups are urged to activate resistance despite the difficult situation on the ground. Our confidence in our military wing to respond is big," Meshaal said in Damascus.
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh called for a suspension of talks to forge a unity government.
Fatah's leader, Palestinian National Authority (PNA) President Mahmoud Abbas, declared three days of national mourning. He accused Israel of not wanting peace and wrecking Palestinian attempts to form a national unity government right on the eve of a breakthrough.
The European Union, the International Red Cross, UNICEF, and Amnesty International have all condemned the incident in Beit Hanoun.
In new York, a debate is currently underway at the United Nations Security Council over Israel's operations in the Gaza Strip. The PNA is demanding a resolution imposing a ceasefire in the area that would see UN observers deployed to monitor its implementation.
In the Gaza Strip itself the economic situation is disastrous. Months of embargo on aid and tax transfers as well as the closure of border posts preventing Palestinian workers from seeking employment in Israel have left the civilian population coping with a downward-spiralling economy. Standards of living are now comparable to those of 50 years ago.
In Palestinian towns and villages gangsters and armed gangs are a law onto themselves.
In Israel many fear a renewed wave of suicide attacks and are critical of Sharon's decision to pull out from the Strip last year without preparing an orderly transfer of power to the PNA which would have guaranteed order and security.
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