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Palestinians Warn Israel Against Reoccupation of Gaza Strip, West Bank
A senior Palestinian official on Monday warned that Gaza Strip and the West Bank will turn into "a graveyard" for Israeli occupation army if Israel attempts to reoccupy these Palestinian territories.
Marwan Barghouthi, secretary of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Fatah in the West Bank, told the Cairo-based Voice of Arabs radio that his warning is "the message" of the Palestinians who are carrying on intifada, or uprising against Israeli occupation, to the Jewish state and the rest of the world.
"The Israelis will never enjoy security and stability unless the Palestinians gain their freedom and independence," said Barghouthi, adding that the Palestinians have never been closer to independence as they are in these days.
He said that Israeli decisions in the wake of Friday's Tel Aviv suicide bombing were aimed at intimidating the Palestinians and would lead to escalation of violence. "The Palestinians, however, are ready to offer any sacrifice to defend their homeland and realize their independence," the official said.
Close to midnight Friday, a Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up at the Dolphinarium night club at Tel Aviv's beach front, killing many people and injuring over 100. The death toll has risen to 20 after a 25-year-old Israeli man died of his injuries Sunday night.
Israel has decided on Saturday morning to take a series of measures against the Palestinians, including a lockade on all parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip to prevent what they called the Palestinian saboteurs from sneaking into Israel.
Israel also decided to impose a naval siege on the coast alongside the Gaza Strip, close down the airport at Rafah, a border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, and ban air flights, including Arafat's plane.
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