Fayyad wants Israeli raids to end
Photo: AFP
Palestinians complain to US about Israeli raids
PM Fayyad tells American Mideast envoy West Bank operations undermine his administration
Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad says he sent a letter to an American peace monitor to complain that recent Israeli military raids in the West Bank undermine his administration.
Fayyad said in an interview with The Associated Press Friday that the operations are damaging his efforts to restore order. He said he delivered the same message in a letter to Lt. Gen. William Fraser III, a senior Mideast envoy for the Bush administration.
IDF troops have launched several incursions this week in the West Bank city of Nablus. Palestinian forces had recently deployed in the city as part of a security plan integral to the US-backed peace talks.
West Bank
Members of Abbas' faction call campaign against Palestinian charities 'war crime', claim IDF oblivious to difference between terror-sponsoring groups, bona fide foundations
'Israeli campaign a war crime'
Fayyad said "Israel increased its military actions by 50 percent in the first half of this month compared to the same period last month. What does that mean if not that Israel is trying to undermine the Palestinian Authority?"
Earlier this week, members of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah faction called Israel's campaign against Palestinian charity foundations a "war crime," adding that the IDF makes no distinction between terror-sponsoring groups and bona fide foundations, some of which are linked to Abbas' government.
The IDF's campaign will only serve to boost Hamas, one Fatah source said, adding that among the raided facilities was a factory that supplies milk to the West Bank's indigent population.
Ali Waked contributed to the story
