Egyptian researcher: IOA-PA escalation coordinated

[ 19/08/2010 - 10:58 AM ]

CAIRO, (PIC)-- An Egyptian researcher in Palestinian affairs has said that the Israeli military escalation against Gaza and the PA escalation against Muslim scholars in the West Bank fell in line with a coordinated scheme targeting Hamas.

Mohammed Juma told the PIC on Wednesday that the joint escalation was meant to pressure Hamas into conceding certain political stands.

Juma said he did not rule out a coordinated plan of escalation against Hamas in line with the security coordination between the two parties.

The arrest campaign of religious scholars in the West Bank on the part of the PA was not only a "religious war" but also a "political war" to pressure resistance factions topped by Hamas to pave the way before a smooth start for the direct talks.

The Israeli occupation authority's (IOA) military attacks on Gaza are meant as political pressure on Hamas to accept direct talks and to probe the resistance's response prior to a possible military escalation.

For his part, Egyptian MP Mahmoud Mujhaid, the member of the Muslim Brotherhood parliamentary bloc, denounced the IOA measures against Muslim worshipers in Palestine.

He urged Arabs and Muslims in a statement on Wednesday to unite in face of the IOA ceaseless aggressive practices with the advent of the holy month of Ramadan that included banning young Muslims from reaching the Aqsa Mosque.

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