Iran blames Israel for Lebanon blast

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:56:59 GMT | PressTV

Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Hassan Qashqavi

Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman condemns a recent bomb attack which killed a senior Palestinian official in Lebanon, blaming it on Israel.

Kamal Medhat, the deputy head of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), and his companions were killed on Monday when a 20 kilogram roadside bomb went off in front of a refugee camp near the southern Lebanese coastal city of Sidon.

Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hassan Qashqavi on Tuesday put the blame on Israel over the 'terrorist attack', saying Tel Aviv has been trying to divide the Palestinian groups.

Qashqavi said "Israel has been targeting Palestinian groups" while they were doing their best to unite and focus on their cause, urging the Palestinian groups to stick to unity and to remain vigilant in face of such incidents.

The Monday attack was also condemned by both Hezbollah and Palestinian groups who blamed Israel for the bombing.

A top Palestinian official was killed at the Mieh Mieh refugee camp near the southern Lebanese coastal city of Sidon on March 23, 2009.

In a statement, the Lebanese Hezbollah slammed the attack, calling for those behind the assassination to be tried and punished.

Hezbollah said the attack bore "the fingerprints of the Zionists and was aimed at sowing discord."

Palestinian Authority representative in Lebanon, Abbas Zaki, also blamed the incident on Israel and warned that the assassination would have serious repercussions in Lebanon and in Palestinian camps.

"Those behind the killing are working in one way or another for Israel," said Zaki, who had left the camp in another vehicle just minutes before the blast. "We are trying to calm the situation inside the camps."