From JPost Apr. 10, 2006 By YAAKOV KATZ ...
The Palestinians called on the United Nations Security Council to take harsh steps against Israel following the death of an 8-year-old girl from IDF artillery fire in Beit Lahiya in the Gaza Strip. According to Army Radio, the Palestinian Authority's observer in the UN, Riad Mansour, said that "the international community cannot stand by while women, men and children are killed and wounded."
Mansour added that Arab states were expected to meet soon to decide how to deal with IDF strikes in the Gaza Strip, including turning to the UNSC with a request to take on the issue.
....The IDF expressed regret over the girl's death and the wounding of civilians, but blamed terrorist groups continuing to fire Kassam rockets at Israel.
..."Rockets are one of the resistance tools," said Ghazi Hamad, a spokesman for the Hamas government. "Our people have the right to resist the occupation. The occupation is the problem and as long as the problem exists our people have the right to resist."
... the IDF shut down the Jericho District Coordination Office (DCO).... following the government's resolution on Sunday to reinforce its measures against the new Hamas-led Palestinian government, declaring it a "hostile entity" and ruling out contacts, including talks with PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
...A joint Israeli-Palestinian civil administration for the territories, the Jericho-based DCO was established following the signing of the Oslo Accords and represented one of the strongest links between Israel and the PA. The Jericho office was the last remaining remnant from the Oslo Accords and, in other PA-controlled cities, coordination between the IDF and the Palestinian security forces was done by phone.
AP contributed to this report.
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