Palestinian militants say truce ends at midnight

Sat Dec 31, 1:13 PM ET

GAZA (Reuters) - Militant Palestinian factions said on Saturday that as of New Year's Day they would no longer be bound by a truce that has brought the quietest spell since the start of the five-year-old uprising.

An increase in violence since Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip in September has kept peacemaking on hold, but the lull has brought relief on both sides of the front line.

The armed groups said they would no longer be committed to following "a period of calm" despite the efforts of President Mahmoud Abbas to preserve a ceasefire he agreed with Israel last February.

A big resurgence of violence could be an added threat to a January 25 election, already endangered by growing disorder.

"We in the Islamic Jihad and resistance factions are free of commitment to this calm," Islamic Jihad leader Khader Habib told Reuters.

The armed groups say the truce cost them more than they gained because Israel continued raids and did not free all Palestinian prisoners, as they had demanded. Israel said its raids were to stop militants who were planning attacks.

Israel says it holds Abbas responsible for the continuation of the ceasefire since it was agreed with him and not the militant groups. Israel has long pressed Abbas to crack down on militants rather than talking to them.

"The Palestinian Authority must come to its senses," said one Israeli official.

HAMAS KEY

Despite the new threats, it is far from clear how much will change on the ground.

Islamic Jihad had already carried out suicide bombings during the truce, including one in the West Bank on Thursday, saying it was taking revenge for Israeli attacks.

The powerful militant group Hamas, which like Islamic Jihad is sworn to destroying Israel, has not said it will resume attacks after the truce expires -- even if it says it will no longer feel bound to follow it.

Any major upsurge of violence could delay the forthcoming election in which Hamas expects to do well.

"Hamas and Qassam (the armed wing) will deal with any Zionist attack against our people in a suitable manner and in that way preserve the election process and preserve Palestinian blood," said a Hamas spokesman.

Al-Aqsa, despite being part of Abbas's Fatah movement, has been among the most active groups firing rockets into Israel from the Gaza Strip.

"The truce is dead. By continuing its assassinations and occupation, Israel killed it long before it actually expired," said Abu Qusai, a spokesman. "The formula is bombardment for bombardment and targeting civilians for targeting civilians."

To try to stem the rocket fire, Israel declared a "no-go zone" in the northern Gaza Strip this week. Palestinians condemned the move as tantamount to retaking land it had given up after 38 years of occupation.

Israel has ruled out talks on Palestinian statehood until Abbas disarms militants, a process the Palestinians are meant to begin under a U.S.-backed peace "road map." Israel has failed to meet its own promise under that plan to freeze settlement growth.

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