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Gaza City: The leader of Hamas rejected an American proposal for a detailed timeline to ease Palestinian movement and improve Israeli security, instead threatening new violence against Israel despite initial Palestinian government support for the US plan.
The Hamas leader, Khalid Mesha'al, alleged that Israel is planning a military operation against the Palestinians.
"We in Hamas are also preparing ourselves for battle, and we expect hot months," he said. He urged all Palestinian groups to "seriously prepare themselves for battle." Israel said Mesha'al's comments show the true nature of the group.
"We never had any illusions as to the policies and goals of the Hamas and unfortunately his remarks do not come as a surprise," Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said.
In the Gaza Strip, Islamic Jihad militants yesterday fired three rockets toward Israel, damaging a house in the town of Sderot, to avenge the killing of three members of the group by Israeli undercover troops a day earlier. Hamas's military wing warned that Israel would pay a price for the killing of the three Islamic Jihad members.
"We warn the enemy of an explosion that will not be merciful to anybody, and the fire, if ignited, will not be extinguishable," said a spokesman, Abu Ubadya, on the group's website.
Hamas killed scores of Israelis in suicide bombings but largely stopped the attacks after a truce was reached in February 2005.
The US document was recently given to Israel and the Palestinians.
It calls on Israel to remove many West Bank roadblocks, improving operations at Gaza's crossings and arrange for a truck convoy between the West Bank and Gaza, two areas separated by Israel.
Officials in Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office, citing security concerns, said some of the demands might be difficult to meet, such as arranging for a West Bank-Gaza link. Israel Radio said senior Israeli officials are to discuss the document in detail at a meeting today.
The Palestinians are asked to halt rocket fire from Gaza at Israel and prevent weapons smuggling into the coastal strip. Israel is urged to allow weapons and equipment to reach security forces loyal to moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
The PLO Executive Committee, a top decision-making body headed by Abbas, reviewed the document yesterday.
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said the Palestinians welcome the idea of a timeline, as a way of translating words into action, but did not formally adopt the document in light of the Israeli reservations.
Instead, the Palestinians would ask the Quartet of Mideast mediators to deal with implementation, he said.
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