Hamas pair killed by Israel as rocket attacks intensify

Palestinian men clear the rubble following an Israeli air strike in the Jabalya refugee camp, in the Gaza Strip. Two Hamas militants trying to fire rockets into Israel were killed in air strikes, as the ruling Islamists fought Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's referendum on coexistence with Israel.(AFP/Mohammed Abed)

June 11,2006

Yahoo News

by Adel Zaanoun

GAZA CITY (AFP) -Two Hamas followers looking to fire rockets into Israel were killed in air strikes as the governing Islamists fought Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's referendum on co-existence with Israel.

A third Palestinian militant from the smaller Islamic Jihad faction was also killed on Sunday while preparing a rocket attack, hours after an Israeli civilian was seriously injured when a makeshift missile slammed into his home.

The new bloodshed came as Israel tried to contain the fallout from the death of eight Palestinian civilians in an explosion on a beach in the northern Gaza Strip Friday -- an incident that prompted Hamas to call off an 18-month truce.

Abbas, a moderate from the formerly dominant Fatah faction, announced on Saturday that a first-ever Palestinian referendum would be held on July 26, prompting accusations from Hamas that he was engineering a coup against its government formed after a landslide election victory in January.

Voters are being asked to approve calls for an independent Palestinian state on land conquered in 1967, the creation of a national unity government and an end to attacks on Israel.

However the prospects of Hamas agreeing to end attacks inside Israel seemed as distant as at any point in the last 18 months with its armed wing claiming to have fired nine of its Qassam missiles into the south of the Jewish state, even before two of its fighters were killed in the Beit Lahiya region of Gaza.

The army confirmed that one of its planes had fired on a group of Hamas followers who were attempting to launch a new missile into southern Israel. Palestinian sources said one of the two men killed was a local Hamas commander.

The army however denied any involvement in the death of the Jihad militant whom Palestinians said appeared to have been killed when a missile that he was handling exploded prematurely.

Jihad, Hamas and a violent Fatah offshoot, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, all claimed responsibility for a series of early morning rocket attacks on southern Israel. One landed on a house in the town of Sderort, home to Defence Minister Amir Peretz, leaving the owner of the house seriously injured.

"Our answer to the Israeli crimes and massacres will continue. It will not only be rockets," said Abu Ubeideh, a spokesman for the Hamas armed wing.

Asked about the possibililty of a resumption of a suicide attacks inside Israel, the spokesman said "all options are open."

Amid the background of rising violence, Abbas sought to placate Hamas over his referendum plan by lining up a meeting with prime minister Ismail Haniya.

A first round of talks between the pair, which dragged on into the early hours, failed to make any headway.

"We failed to agree on the referendum question and we stressed to the president the dangers of this consultation for Palestinian unity," Haniya told reporters after the meeting.

Abbas headed to the Islamists' Gaza stronghold immediately after announcing the referendum at his West Bank headquarters, insisting that the people should have their say on a document drawn up by prisoners held by Israel.

Hamas is furious that the president, who was himself directly elected last year, is trying to bypass its administration.

Abbas's spokesman said that the president had stuck to his guns in his meeting with Haniya.

"Abu Mazen confirmed to prime minister Haniya that the referendum will be held on the date which has been set but talks will continue," Nabil Abu Rudeina told AFP.

"Dialogue is very important in order that we can arrive at a national consensus to confront the big crisis facing the Palestinian people, especially the siege, while the Israeli escalation continues."

Abbas has been at the forefront of the condemnation of the beach killings which have seriously embarrassed Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as he prepares to head for his first trip to Europe.

Speaking at cabinet ahead of his departure to London, Olmert voiced regret for "the death of innocent civilians" and promised that the results of an inquiry would be made public.