region warned of a "vicious cycle of violence" amid signs the region is heading towards all-out war.
Palestinians said two missiles fired by attack helicopters set Haniyeh’s office ablaze, but it was empty because of the late hour. One bystander was reportedly slightly injured. The attack on Ismail Haniyeh’s empty office came just days after a young Israeli settler was killed by militants in response to Israel’s military incursion into Gaza, which began Wednesday, June 28. Israeli security officials said the body of 18-year-old Eliahu Asheri was found Thursday, June 29, buried near the West Bank city of Ramallah.
Despite pleas from his parents to release him, the Popular Resistance Committees killed him by a single bullet to the head, news reports said. "Deeply distressed" by what he called “the current escalation of the Israel/Palestine conflict," World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Samuel Kobia urged the international community "to take bold and novel actions to uphold international law and break the vicious cycle of violence" in the region.
Both parties should engage in "equitable negotiations," he said in a statement obtained by BosNewsLife.
"EXCESSIVE FORCE"
Although "recognizing" its right "to ensure security for all its citizens," Kobia urged the Israeli government "to refrain from using excessive military force and immediately open equitable negotiations to find a permanent solution through ending the illegal occupation and securing a just peace."
The WCC, a platform of the world’s main churches which has several humanitarian projects in the region, also demanded that the Palestinian leadership "should continue to seek a platform for equitable negotiations and hold to the one-party ceasefire and a diplomatic solution."
He asked militants to release the Israeli soldier and demanded that Israel releases detained Hamas political leaders. His letter was sent to representatives of the so-called Quartet of the United States the European Union, the United Nations and Russia as well as to the president of the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli prime minister, the WCC said. It was not immediately clear Sunday, July 2, if and when Israeli troops would further increase the military operation they say it aimed at rescuing the kidnapped soldier, 19-year-old Cpl. Gilad Shalit.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz were to meet with security officials later Sunday to discuss whether to give diplomacy more time or to escalate the military operation. Late last week, Olmert called off plans to extend the Israeli incursion into southern Gaza to the coastal strip’s north while diplomats held discussions.
TALKS COMPLICATED
However talks have been complicated by demands from the gunmen from the governing militant group Hamas and two allies demanding the release of an additional 1,000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel, in exchange for freedom for the kidnapped Israeli soldier. Earlier, they demanded the release of another 500 Palestinian prisoners.
Israel rejected the demand, saying the soldier must be released unconditionally. Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Gillerman says negotiating with terrorists would send the wrong message.
"This is indeed part of the international, global war against terror. And, if we want to preserve civilization as we know it, and if we want to prevent future acts of hostage-taking and kidnapping, this must be resolved, must be resolved quickly," he added.
While food shortages have not been reported, human rights groups have cautioned that Gaza could face a humanitarian crisis because nearly half the territory’s electricity supply was knocked out after Israeli missiles struck Gaza’s only power station. Israel has since increased its supply of electricity to Gaza, the Israeli army was quoted as saying Saturday, July 1. (With reports from Israel).
