Region | Palestinian Territories
Abbas breaks off contact with Israel over Gaza attacks
Palestinian President suspends peace negotiations and demands Israel ends Gaza offensive.
- Agencies
- Published: 18:33 March 2, 2008
- Image Credit:
- Abbas’ office condemned the attack, but stopped short of declaring the US-brokered talks a failure.
Gaza: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has suspended peace negotiations with Israel, demanding it end a Gaza offensive that has killed more than 100 Palestinians, many of them civilians.
The announcement comes in the midst of angry demonstrations over the bloody attacks, and the shooting of a 14-year-old boy by Israeli troops in the West Bank. A 21-month year old girl was the latest casualty in Gaza on Sunday.
Abbas' office condemned the attack, but stopped short of declaring the US-brokered talks a failure.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert vowed to continue the assault, saying Israel was acting in self-defence to curb rocket attacks by militants.
An Israeli spokesman called Abbas' announcement a mistake.
Egypt meanwhile said it has opened its border crossing with Gaza and was allowing seriously injured Palestinians to cross to receive medical treatment.
More from Palestinian Territories
More from Region
News Editor's choice
-
Allies quit ruling coalition in Nepal
Political row could trigger months of street protests and violence
-
Qatar blaze 'started at nursery'
Fire killed 19 including 13 children, at Doha’s main shopping centre
-
Jagan jailed over illegal assets
Andhra Pradesh leader accused of corruption, cheating, conspiracy
