The Palestinian Following-up Committee comprising national and Islamic factions on Saturday called on Arab and Islamic countries to sever diplomatic ties with Israel and boycott it.

The committee, grouping 13 factions and political powers, said in a statement that Arab and Islamic nations are demanded to act as soon as possible to support the Palestinian position.

The statement called on Arabs and Muslims around the world "to condemn the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Palestinians, which is supported by the United States."

Three armed groups, namely the Popular Resistance Committees, the Islamic Army and Hamas' armed wing Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, jointly carried out an attack on an Israeli army post southeast of the Gaza Strip last Sunday, killing two Israeli soldiers and kidnapping a third one.

The militants conditioned the return of the abducted Israeli soldier on the release of women and children Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.

Israel refused to negotiate with Palestinian militants and launched a large-scale military operation, dubbed "Summer Rain," against the Gaza Strip on Wednesday in an effort to rescue the abducted soldier.

Source: Xinhua