Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas threatened to use "an iron fist" against anyone who violates a calm with Israel. "We will hit with an iron fist anyone who violates the Palestinian national interest and agreement," Abbas told a group of Palestinian police in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday. His comments were reported by the Palestinian daily al-Hayat al-Jadida on Thursday.
Abbas also pledged to maintain quiet during the planned Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip later this year. "We have to give them a calm departure," he said.
"Whoever wants to sabotage [the calm] with rocket fire or shooting must be stopped by us even if that requires using force," the Palestinian leader added.
Earlier, scores of Palestinian security forces were deployed at the northern part of the Gaza Strip in a bid to protect Israeli army positions and Jewish settlements to the north of the Strip and inside the green line, PA security forces said.
Eyewitnesses in the area said that the deployment aimed at protecting Israeli settlements against missile attacks carried out by Palestinian resistance fighters in retaliation to the Israeli aggressions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
