Mahmoud Abbas Breaks Contact With Israel

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas Sunday broke off contact with Israel to protest Israeli military raids in Gaza.

Abbas said he broke off talks for several days in the face of Israeli military action against militants in Gaza meant to end the barrage of rocket attacks on southern Israel, Ynetnews said.

At least 80 Palestinians and several Israeli soldiers died in the clashes since Wednesday.

Abbas called the Israeli operation in Gaza worse than a Holocaust, but Palestinian officials said he may resume talks to settle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict when the operations end.

Hamas officials had criticized the Palestinian Authority for its lack of solidarity in the face of Israeli military actions targeting Hamas leaders in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Sunday he was interested in continuing negotiations with his Palestinian counterparts, but stressed Israel has no intention of halting counter-terrorism actions even for a second.