Israeli fighter jets carried out an air strike in close proximity to the Gaza residence of Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya on [May 24], yet Israeli officials have insisted that Haniya was not the intended target. Another strike leveled the premises of the Hamas-linked Executive Force paramilitary group, injuring five bystanders. [AlJazeera, May 24]
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has implored militants to halt their “absurd” rocket attacks against Israel, which he says only serve to impede peace efforts; he also condemned retaliatory air strikes by Israel. [BBC, May 25]
The European Union (EU) foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, has described the unity government led by Abbas as “non-functioning,” and is non-committal as to whether the Fatah-Hamas coalition should remain in power given the recent factional clashes in Gaza. [Reuters, May 25]
From Madrid11.net Security Briefs, May 25
See our last posts on Israel/Palestine.