Islamic Jihad blames Israel for Gaza escalation
After Israeli strikes killed two Islamic Jihad members in the Gaza Strip, the movement has come out accusing Israel of escalation, in what it says is an attempt to fuel intra-Palestinian conflict.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — The United States has added the deputy secretary-general of Islamic Jihad, Ziyad al-Nakhalah, to the list of "terrorist organizations and individuals," according to a statement issued by the US State Department on Jan. 23.
The statement, published by the State Department on its website, said that Nakhalah was added on the terrorism list because he has stood behind attacks against Israel. The statement also noted his "strong relations with the Government of Iran, the world's primary State Sponsor of Terrorism."
The spokesman for Islamic Jihad, Daoud Shihab, told "Palestine Today," a website close to the movement, that the US decision gives Israel a political and legal cover to target the heads of the Palestinian resistance wherever they are, describing the decision as "dangerous."
Islamic Jihad came under a lot of political and military pressure last week, after its military wing was accused of rapid escalation, through firing sophisticated rockets at Israeli towns.
