by Daniel Siryoti
Rocket attacks on Israel during Egyptian mediators' visit to Gaza was a "personal affront, and worse, put their lives in danger," Palestinian official says
Egyptian
intelligence chief Abbas Kamel has called off a planned visit to the
Gaza Strip, Ramallah and Israel, officially citing a scheduling
conflict, but commentators surmised that the cancellation may be a
response to rocket attacks launched from Gaza into Israel on Wednesday.
An Egyptian intelligence and diplomatic
delegation that had arrived in Gaza to prepare the groundwork for
Kamel's intended visit, initially planned for Thursday, left the Strip
on Wednesday before setting a new date for Kamel's shuttle diplomacy
mission.
A member of the Egyptian delegation told
Israel Hayom that the official reason for postponing Kamel's mission was
the fact that he was accompanying Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah
el-Sissi on his trip to Russia, which was taking longer than planned.
But a senior Palestinian official told
Israel Hayom that the Egyptians were surprised by the rocket fire and
didn't mince words in admonishing the leaders of Hamas and other armed
Palestinian factions in Gaza, with whom they met Wednesday morning,
shortly after the rockets were launched at Israel.
No Palestinian group has claimed
responsibility for the rocket fire and several hours after it occurred,
Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Popular Resistance Committees
issued a joint statement saying: "We appreciate the Egyptian efforts to
secure the demands of our people, and oppose any attempts to sabotage
these efforts – including the rocket fire at Israel."
According to another Palestinian official,
the statement was issued at Egypt's demand. "They viewed the rocket
launch at Israel during their visit in Gaza as a personal affront, and
worse, as putting their lives in danger," the official said.
After the rocket fire, Israel carried out
airstrikes across Gaza, and members of the Egyptian delegation in Gaza
City at the time heard and also felt the shockwaves caused by the
Israeli bombs.
Palestinian media outlets reported that
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was expected to depart for
Jordan this weekend, where he will meet Jordanian King Abdullah and
other senior Jordanian officials.
A senior Jordanian official told Israel
Hayom this week that Abbas would likely hear a message similar to the
one he heard from the Egyptians, namely that he should lift the economic
sanctions he is imposing on the population in Gaza.
"Abbas needs to understand he cannot use
the population in Gaza as a bargaining chip against Hamas, Israel or
Egypt. He has to allow all the proceedings to be exhausted, to
facilitate an arrangement and improve the lives in Gaza, which is
collapsing under a dire humanitarian crisis," he said.
Daniel Siryoti
Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/2018/10/18/egypt-outraged-by-gaza-rocket-launch-amid-stepped-up-truce-efforts/
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