Palestinians fire rockets; defy Abbas

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Palestinian militants fired five homemade rockets into Israel on Thursday, defying the calls by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to halt the attacks.

The Israeli army said four of the rockets landed near the southern border town of Sderot, while the fifth landed near the city of Ashkelon. There were no injuries, it said.

The barrage came a day after Abbas criticized Palestinian militants for continuing to fire rockets at Israeli border communities.

"What is happening in Gaza as a result of rockets fired in vain must stop right now because there is no national interest in this continuing," Abbas said in a speech Wednesday. He said dozens of Gazans have been killed and many more injured in recent months. "For what?" Abbas said.

More: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060831/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_palestinians_19

He has done nothing in terms of lifting the siege on Gaza and West Bank from the IOF since he took office. e.g. since June of 2006 one hundred and sixty six Palestinian civilians were killed (many children) including 42 extrajudiciary killings. Therefore, and my opinion, Mr. Abbas should vacate the so-called "Chairmanship of Palestine chair" immediately...he has become a liability to the Palestinian cause.