Islamic Jihad slams Abbas regarding “Decisive Storm” calls

The Palestinian movement Islamic Jihad sharply criticised the Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas over his latest call for Arab countries to carry out “Decisive Storm” in the Gaza Strip to end the Palestinian internal division.

In a joint march with Hamas, Daud Shehab, spokesman of the Islamic Jihad, said: “Abbas’ poisoned remarks represent a coup against national unity efforts and internal concord.”

He stressed that Gaza would not be isolated from the whole of Palestine. “Abbas, who has been warning against the isolation of Gaza, is himself involved in this conspiracy,” he said. “Abbas has been always warning of this conspiracy, but he is involved in it.”

Abbas hailed the Saudi-led military operation against Houthi militias in Yemen dubbed “Decisive Storm” during a speech before Arab leaders in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm al-Sheikh. Abbas called for Arab leaders to carry out a similar operation in the Gaza Strip.

Abbas’ call came just one day after Mahmoud Al-Habbash, his religious advisor, called for Arab countries to mobilize and hit Hamas “with an iron fist”.

Shehab noted that Abbas’ remarks came in the wake of the PA prime minister’s visit to the Gaza Strip. “He was welcomed and his visit was hailed and faced with readiness to carry on in the path of reconciliation,” he said. “Abbas remarks at this moment reflect a dirty agenda.”

“The one who wants to isolate Gaza is the one who refuses the reconciliation and unity, who refuses to convene a meeting for the PLO and who is blockading Gaza along with the Israeli occupation in order to abort the Palestinian national goals,” Shehab said referring to Abbas.

“This aims to undermine the Palestinian resistance of the Israeli occupation,” he added.