We're ready to step up anti-occupation intifada

The prominent Palestinian anti-occupation movement, Islamic Jihad has reaffirmed it would not hesitate to step up the intifada if necessary.

Senior official, Khaled al-Batash, told the Hamas-affiliated Palestinian Center for Communication website that the Palestinian organizations have agreed that the “Al-Quds Intifada” will maintain the characteristics of a popular struggle, but that should it become necessary to adopt other patterns of struggle, "we are ready for it."

Batash referred to the intifada as "the knife revolution" and noted that knife and car ramming attacks prove that this is a popular intifada, and that if it continues for a period of one year it will achieve results in light of the price it has been extracting from the Zionist enemy.

The way to step up the intifada is through the participation of all Palestinian factions in the struggle and by the declaration of support by the Palestinian Authority, the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation for the steadfastness of the residents of the occupied al-Quds ('Jerusalem') and the occupied West Bank, he said.

"There are no initiatives regarding a ceasefire [with Israel], and we stand alone in the battle," said Batash.

"I believe that all Palestinian parties should prepare for the next stage with the Zionist enemy, because we believe that the enemy will turn to targeted killing in Gaza and the West Bank as well as bomb Gaza."