Hamas and Islamic Jihad reject Arafat's peace plea

The two main militant groups fighting for Palestinian independence from Israel have rejected Yasser Arafat’s call for an end to the 15-month-old Intefadeh (uprising).

Hamas and Islamic Jihad, who between them have claimed responsibility for more than 30 suicide bombings in Israel, rejected Mr Arafat’s plea because, they said, Israel is offering nothing in return for a ceasefire.

Osama Hamdan, a representative of Hamas in Lebanon, said: “The justification for the resistance is the existence of the [Israeli] occupation and practices. Until now, there is nothing that signals that this occupation might end or that [Israel’s] practices would cease.”

Abu Imad Rifai, a spokesman for Islamic Jihad, said: “Nobody has the right to strip the Palestinian people of their natural right to self defense.”