Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has ordered security forces to use of force if necessary against anyone who violates the declared truce, the official WAFA news agency said Thursday.
Speaking to a group of Palestinian police officers, Abbas also pledged to maintain quite during the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip this summer.
‘We have to give them a calm departure,’ he said.
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‘Whoever violates this general consensus… must be hit by an iron fist,’ Abbas said.
‘Whoever wants to sabotage [the truce] with rocket fire or shooting must be stopped by us even if that requires using force.’ He added.
Last month, Abbas won the agreement of all Palestinian resistance groups to maintain a de facto truce, but resistance groups have occasionally responded to Israeli army offences, confirming that a ‘violation’ will be met by a ‘violation’ÂÂ
On Wednesday, mortars were fired close to an anti-pullout demonstration held by settlers in Gaza. An Israel soldier was lightly hurt.
