Militants reject plea for cease-fire

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip – The Islamic Jihad militant group rejected a call Tuesday from Mahmoud Abbas to halt rocket attacks on Israeli towns, dealing a new blow to the Palestinian leader. Israel responded to the attacks with airstrikes against Gaza targets.

In another setback for Abbas, a last-minute dispute within his ruling Fatah Party threatened to divide the movement a day before a key election deadline. The dispute between Fatah veterans and its “young guard” was the latest sign of disarray in the party, which faces a stiff challenge from the Islamic group Hamas in Jan. 25 parliamentary voting.

Abbas traveled to Gaza on Tuesday for talks with the militant groups, in part to halt growing violence along Israel’s border with Gaza. Israel has put heavy pressure on Abbas to stop militants from firing rockets.

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat, a participant in the meeting, said Abbas urged all Palestinian groups to honor a cease-fire reached with Israel in February.

“We demand everyone be committed to the truce,” Erekat said. “We consider the truce a matter of high national interest.”

But Islamic Jihad, which has been responsible for most of the rocket fire, rejected the appeal. Spokesman Khaled Batch accused Israel of violating the cease-fire, and he said attacks were the only proper response. “I think the continuation of resistance is what’s better for the Palestinian people,” he said.

New rocket fire was reported in southern Israel late Tuesday, and the army quickly responded with an airstrike on a suspected launch site in northern Gaza. There were no reports of injuries.

Since Israel’s withdrawal in September from the Gaza Strip, militants have continued to fire homemade rockets into southern Israel.