PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) told the Al-Jazeera Arab satellite news agency that the proposed lull in fighting in Gaza is a “tactic in the ongoing struggle against Israel”.

The PA Fatah leader added that if Israel rejects the offer, there will be a sharp escalation in warfare in Gaza.

Should the Egyptian initiative be accepted by Israel, it would not have any direct bearing on Israeli operations in Yehuda and Shomron he added. He told AP that he is disappointed however that talks with Israel have hit a dead end.

He stated that in talks with US President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, there were no breakthroughs to report following his negotiating efforts.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)