President Saleh phones Mishal

SANA'A, Jan. 05 (Saba) – President Ali Abdullah Saleh made on Monday
a telephone call with head of the Hamas Political Bureau in Syria's
capital, Damascus, Khalid Mashal.

During the call, President Saleh and Mashal discussed the
developments in the Gaza strip being under Israeli air, sea and
ground assaults.

President Saleh renewed calls for healing the rift between
Palestinian factions, urging their alignment to face brutal Israeli
assaults which have killed more than 500 people and wounded almost
2400 so far since the attacks were launched on December 27.

President Saleh said Israel took advantage of Palestinian
differences to attack the Gaza strip, affirming Yemen's firm stances
toward the Palestinian case and expressing Yemen's condemnation for
the attacks.

Israeli attacks on the Gaza strip is continuing for the eighth day.

After almost a one and a half year blockade on the strip and after a
week of air strikes, the Israeli military started on Saturday
evening ground assault on Gaza with tanks moved into the strip.

FR