Hamas leader warns Israel of third intifada

Senior Hamas leader Ahmed Bahr has claimed that the "third intifada" (popular uprising) will be unstoppable because it will represent "the Palestinian people's will and defence of a just cause." Speaking to reporters in Gaza on Tuesday, the First Deputy to the Speaker of the Legislative Council praised Palestinians for their protests against the death of detainee Arafat Jaradat. Bahr urged people to continue demonstrating and "mobilise all energies to create a climate for the commencement of the third intifada against the Israeli occupation." He demanded the formation of an international committee under United Nations supervision to probe Jaradat's death and investigate violations against Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons. He also called for an emergency session of the Legislative Council on Thursday to discuss the matter and urged all blocs and parties to join the meeting. The Hamas leader also called on the international community to sever ties with Israel "for its crimes against the prisoners," and demanded an international campaign run by a coalition of human rights groups to end Israel's policy of administrative detention. Bahr said the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) must "take on its legal and humanitarian responsibilities by intensifying contacts with Israeli occupation authorities to prevent violations against prisoners and detainees." He advised the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah to boycott negotiations with Israel.