Hamas, Islamic Jihad Announce Three-Month Truce, Israel Ignores it

29/06/2003| IslamWeb

The Palestinian groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad announced an immediate three-month suspension of anti-Israeli attacks, in a joint statement. "We factions of the Palestinian resistance, signatories of this document, announce the following undertaking: the suspension of military operations against the Zionist enemy for three months starting today and with conditions," said the Sunday statement. "All types of Zionist aggression against the Palestinian people must cease immediately, from raids, to destruction, closure and siege on cities, villages and refugee camps, including the siege imposed on president Yasser Arafat," the statement read. It said Israel's "home demolitions, the destruction of farmland, trespassing of land, property and Islamic and Christian religious institutions, especially the Al-Aqsa mosque," had to stop, in addition to "assassinations, arrests, collective massacres and all other killings as well as deportation." Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Fatah group also said it will announce a truce separately later Sunday. However, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's spokesman said the Jewish state would ignore the truce because its only interlocutor is the Palestinian Authority. "We do not give any value to this announcement. Our only interlocutor to obtain the dismantlement of terrorist organisations is the Palestinian Authority," said Raanan Gissin. **PHOTO CAPTION*** Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, Palestinian spiritual leader of the Islamic resistance movement Hamas which announced a three-month ceasefire along with Islamic Jihad. (AFP/File/Mohammed Saber)