Haaretz : Hamas denounces curbs on Gaza as 'declaration of war'

Hamas denounces curbs on Gaza as 'declaration of war'

By Haaretz Service | September 19, 2007

Hamas denounced as a "declaration of war" the Wednesday decision of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's security cabinet to declare Gaza a "hostile entity" and to approve curbs in electricity and fuel supplies to the population of the strip.

"They aim to starve our people and force them to accept humiliating formulas that could emerge from the so-called November peace conference," said Hamas spokesman Barhoum, referring to a U.S.-sponsored meeting expected to be held in two months.

"It is a declaration of war and continues the criminal, terrorist Zionist actions against our people."

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas condemned Israel's plan, calling it an oppressive decision.

"This oppressive decision will only strengthen the chocking embargo imposed on 1.5 million people in the Gaza Strip, increase their suffering and deepen their tragedy," Abbas' office said in a statement.

"It is collective punishment against the people of Gaza, and discourages serious political discussion," said Ashraf Ajrami, a minister in Abbas' government.

"We are going to ask the Americans to pressure Israel to refrain from taking such action," added Palestinian Information Minister Riyad al-Malki.

In response to the cabinet's decision, Arab MK Taleb A-Sana (Ra'am Ta'al) said, "Israel is defining the occupied as a hostile entity in order to excuse itself from war crimes."

Arab MK Ahmed Tibi warned that cutting off the power supply would worsen the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. "Olmert's government has gone through a process of 'Liebermanization," he said, in reference to hard-lined Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman.

Shas: Tie power switch to rocket's tail

Shas minister Yitzhak Cohen said during the meeting that the steps Israel must make it clear that to every Palestinian action, there is an immediate Israeli reaction against Gaza.

"The Gaza power switch should be directly linked to the rocket's tail," he said.

But Public Security Minister Avi Dichter indicated that the government intended to show a measure of restraint in applying the restrictions. "This [decision] allows Israel to order a number of administrative sanctions against the Gaza Strip, of course on condition they don't cross the red line in terms of inflicting humanitarian damage," Dichter said.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who arrived in Israel Wednesday to prepare for the November, told a news conference in Jerusalem that Washington considered Hamas to be a "hostile entity."

But Rice pledged the United States "would not abandon the innocent Palestinians", a reference to humanitarian aid.

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who held talks with Rice, said "all the needs that are more than the humanitarian needs will not be supplied by Israel to the Gaza Strip".