Abbas slams the Jerusalem bulldozer attack, Hamas angered by his statements

Wednesday July 23, 2008 05:11

by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, slammed the bulldozer attack which was carried out on Tuesday by a Palestinian in Jerusalem. During the attack, the attacker was shot dead and at least twenty-four Israelis were wounded.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas

The Palestinian News Agency, WAFA, reported that Abbas severely criticized the attack and said that the Palestinian Authority condemns any attack that targets civilians.

“I learned today that this attack was deliberate. We cannot accept it, we condemn this attack”, Abbas said, “Such attacks harm our image and harm the cause of peace in general”.

The Palestinian president also wished a quick recovery to the wounded, and stated that the Palestinian Authority cannot accept “any terrorist attack, and any attack that targets civilians”.

Meanwhile, the Hamas movement was angered by the statements of Abbas, who failed to mention the ongoing Israeli military attacks against the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank.

The movement added that Abbas did not mention the ongoing siege on Gaza, the ongoing kidnappings of Palestinians by the occupation forces in the West Bank and all other Israeli assaults against the Palestinian people.

Sami Abu Zuhri, media spokesperson of Hamas, stated that the Jerusalem attack is a natural response to the ongoing crimes carried out by the occupation forces.

The statements of Abu Zuhri came during an interview with the Palestinian Information Center, which is run by Hamas.

During the interview, Abu Zuhri said that this attack is something that should have been expected, given the Israeli rejection of a ceasefire offer that would include the West Bank and Jerusalem, and the ongoing Israeli aggression in those areas. Hamas did not, however, claim responsibility for or advance knowledge of the attack.