Palestine Liberation Organization chief Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday held Israel responsible for the current military escalation and the deterioration of security situation in the Gaza Strip.

In a written statement sent to reporters before heading to the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah to continue his election campaign, Abbas said the United States, the European Union, China and Russia must press Israel to end its military operations in the Gaza Strip.

He said they should compel Israel "to implement the Middle East roadmap pace plan and to protect the Palestinian people from the continuous military escalation."

The Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip "could aim atobstructing the Palestinian presidential election due to be held in the Palestinian territories on Jan. 9," said Abbas. "We are extending our hands to achieve a just peace that wouldbring peace and security to the people of the whole region," saidAbbas.

Palestinian security sources said Abbas had to postpone hisvisit to Rafah for two hours due to tough Israeli security measures taken in central and southern Gaza Strip.

A spokesman for Abbas told reporters that Abbas condemns theIsraeli security measures as well as its large-scale operation inthe southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Yunis, which has entered the third consecutive day.

It will be the first time that Abbas comes to Rafah, a townwhich has witnessed incursions and demolition of houses round the clock since the beginning of the Palestinian intifada, or uprising, in September 2000.

Source: Xinhua