TASEK PAUH blogspot

Wednesday 08 November 2006

Israel has apologised for an artillery barrage which killed 19 civilians in Gaza, as the Palestinian government declared three days of mourning to commemorate those who died.

Tzipi Livni, the Israeli foreign minister, called the deaths in Beit Hanoun "a regrettable incident".

"The Israeli military does not intend to harm civilians - that is never our aim. But in the framework of such things, incidents like these happen," Livni said.

The killings happened a day after Israel started to withdraw its tanks from Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza after a week-long offensive in which dozens died.

At least 13 members of one extended family died as they were sleeping when tank fire hit their home in Wednesday's incident.

Ismail Haniya, the Palestinian prime minister, said that his party, Hamas, would take revenge for the attack and he called on Arab and Islamic nations to support the Palestinians.

"Why does the Arab League not convene? Why does the Islamic Conference Organisation not convene?" he told Aljazeera television.

"A nation is being slain, a land is being destroyed. Jerusalem, al-Aqsa mosque and Islamic and Christian shrines are being desecrated in the Palestinian lands." Baca selengkapnya…

Labels: Berita, Luar Negeri, Palestin