"Islamic Jihad always keen not to turn the Palestinian resistance against foreign targets," said Al-Batsh

By Mohamed Yaseen, IOL Correspondent

GAZA, October 15 (IslamOnline.net) – Palestinian factions immediately disclaimed responsibility for the road-side bombing attack on a U.S. diplomatic convoy that left at least three Americans dead in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, October 15.

Sheikh Adnan Asfour of the movement Hamas said the group's "unwavering position is against broadening the cycle of conflict or taking it outside the Palestinian territories.

"Resistance well understands that its main enemy is the one that had occupied Palestinian territories and killed Palestinians," he told IslamOnline.net.

Asfour said Palestinian attacks are meant to end Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and create the long-coveted Palestinian state with the holy city of Al-Quds as its capital.

But he accused the U.S. of being biased towards Israel, citing Washington's use of its veto power to kill a U.N. Security Council draft condemning Israel for the construction of its separation wall, which snakes through the Palestinian territories in the West Bank.

But the leading Hamas leader did not rule out the attack against the American convoy might have been "sparked up by the Washington's action in the world body".

The move was the second by Washington in less than one month, after it had vetoed an Arab-driven resolution condemning Israel for its decision to expel Palestinian President Yasser Arafat last month.

No Interests

For its part, the Islamic Jihad resistance movement said it had no interests to carry out the bombing attack against the American convoy.

"The group is always keen not to switch the Palestinian resistance against foreign targets," said the group's leading figure Khaled Al-Batsh.

Speaking to IOL, he set it as plain that "our main enemy is the one who had usurped our land and killed our children."

The Jihad leader pointed a finger of accusation at the Israeli occupation forces "which might have planted the landmine which caused the blast during their daily incursions in the Gaza Strip".

Nine Palestinians were killed, including two children and two teenagers, and about 80 injured during an earlier Israeli operation in Rafah in southern Gaza Strip that began on Thursday, October 9.

Israeli occupation forces also Pushed some 40 tanks and bulldozers backed by helicopter gunships in a new incursion into Rafah refugee camp on Tuesday.

"Although we realize that the Israeli aggressions are blessed by the U.S., we are against the Wednesday bombing," asserted Khedr Habib, another Jihad figure.

"The explosion might have been meant to target an Israeli security team, and if the attackers had known the vehicle carried Americans, they might have changed their minds," he said.

Habib said his group is not of the opinion to target Americans, despite the anti-American sentiments sprouting up among Palestinians jeering at its support for Israel.

Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigares, the armed wing of Fatah movement, also rejected the attack in a statement carried by al-Jazeera.