Abbas: Attack aimed to derail PA elections
Palestinian leader condemns Tel Aviv bombing, says perpetrators must be punished
Abbas condemned the attack, saying "the perpetrators should be punished. They meant to harm the elections and the Palestinian Authority. They breach law and order.”
“Israel will respond in a harsh manner and this will harm the Palestinians. Therefore, no Palestinian side has the right to carry out acts that hurt Palestinian interests and the democratic process,” he said.
The Palestinian Ministry for Internal Affairs condemned the attack and called on all factions to abide by a cease-fire agreed upon in Egypt over the summer. The ministry also ordered Palestinian security forces to launche an investigation into the attack and bring the perpetrators to justice.
'Avenging Israeli crimes'
While the PA rushed to condemn the attack, Islamic Jihad leaders said the attack was carried out to avenge Israel’s crimes in the West Bank.
“The Palestinian people have the right for self-defense against Israeli aggression, which does not take into consideration elections in the Palestinian Authority or anything else. The responsible for today’s attack is the side who decided to kill Palestinians in Jenin and Nablus,” Khaled al-Bash, a senior Jihad leader said.
A senior leader of Fatah’s military wing, the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, told Ynet: “The attack is welcomed as it avenges Israel’s recent assassinations including that of Hamas’ leader in Tul Karem.”
Abu-Udai said “the bombing proves that the Palestinian resistance, despite all security measures taken by Israel, is capable time after time to reach targets deep inside the Zionist entity.”
Other al-Aqsa leaders said their group had nothing to do with the attack, adding that Fatah has no interest at this point in time to provoke Israel.
