JERUSALEM (AP) — An Israeli aircraft struck a target in
the northern Gaza Strip Wednesday, killing one person and wounding three
others, in the first deadly violence between the sides since a new
Palestinian government took office last week.
The late-night
airstrike came hours after Palestinian militants fired a rocket into
southern Israel, the first such attack since President Mahmoud Abbas
formed the new government and took charge, at least formally, of Gaza.
Israel has warned it would hold the Western-backed Abbas responsible for
any attacks out of the territory, even though the rival Hamas militant
group maintains de facto control.
Witnesses said the airstrike
targeted a man on a motorcycle and also struck a nearby car. Palestinian
medical officials said two of the wounded were in critical condition.
They did not immediately identify the casualties.
But in a
statement, the Israeli military identified the target as a 33-year-old
militant linked to "global jihad," a term it uses to describe groups
that are affiliated or inspired by al-Qaida. It said the man had
participated in "many" rocket attacks while also working as a Hamas
policeman, and described the airstrike as pre-emptive.
"Our policy is clear. Kill those who rise up to kill us," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu said in a statement.
He
said he wanted to "remind" the international community that Abbas had
pledged the new government would uphold previous agreements with Israel.
"This means that he is responsible for dismantling Hamas and other
terror groups" in Gaza, he said.
Earlier, Abbas’ office condemned
the rocket fire and urged Gaza militants to abide by previous cease-fire
deals. Israel dismissed the condemnation as "empty rhetoric."
The
threat of violence is one of the many challenges Abbas is dealing with
as he tries to unite two territories after a seven-year rift. Hamas
seized control of Gaza from Abbas’ forces in June 2007.
Under last
week’s deal, Abbas’ new 17-member Cabinet is to administer both Gaza
and parts of the West Bank. Hamas has no formal role in the technocrat
government, but it backs the unity government and remains the de facto
power in Gaza with thousands of armed fighters.
The U.S. and
European Union have so far been willing to give Abbas, a strong
proponent of nonviolence, a chance. The U.S. welcomed Abbas’
condemnation and suggested it wasn’t ready to hold the new unity
government responsible for the attack.
"We expect the Palestinian
Authority will do everything in its power to prevent attacks from Gaza
into Israel, but we acknowledge the reality that Hamas currently
controls Gaza," U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.
Militants
in Gaza, including members of Hamas, have fired thousands of rockets at
Israel over the years, though Hamas mostly observed an informal truce
in recent years. The West considers Hamas a terror group because of
scores of deadly attacks on Israel, though Abbas has said the new
Cabinet will follow his pragmatic program.
he unity government was
meant to end a crippling split between Abbas and Hamas, but the road to
reconciliation has been bumpy, with many issues unresolved.
Salary
payments for more than 40,000 government employees hired by Hamas
during the past seven years are a key point of contention. Hamas wants
them to be paid by the unity government, though donor countries would
likely balk at the idea of seeing aid go for salaries for members of the
Hamas security forces.
Hamas kept Gaza’s banks closed for the
past week in an attempt to pressure Abbas to find a solution, but
allowed the banks to reopen Wednesday amid rising public anger against
the group. Long lines formed at cash machines as people rushed to
withdraw their salaries.
Tens of thousands of Abbas loyalists who
worked for his Palestinian Authority in Gaza before the Hamas takeover
have continued to receive salaries since 2007 on condition they not work
for the Hamas administration.
Hamas officials said no solution to the problem has been found and suggested the opening of the banks is
temporary.
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Associated Press writer Mohammed Daraghmeh in Gaza City contributed to this report.