Global General

PNA says bin Laden's mentality should be uprooted

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-05-02 20:06

GAZA - The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) on Monday called for fighting the ideology of Osama bin Laden, after the al-Qaida leader was killed by US special forces in Pakistan.

Related readings: Hamas condemns killing of 'holy warrior'

"What is important is to destroy the mentality that appeals to violence," said Ghassan al-Khatib, spokesman for the Palestinian government in the West Bank. Bin Laden had always called for fight against Israel and was strongly critical of the PNA for seeking peace talks with the Jewish state.

Al-Khatib said the Palestinians and the Arabs prefer peaceful struggle which has proved successful in Egypt and Tunisia.

The Palestinians were divided on the killing of bin Laden, as one spoke on a Gaza radio program of bin Laden as "the martyr of the nation" while another spoke against "the method of violence and death that bin Laden and his group founded under the name of Islam."

Meanwhile, Prime Minister of the deposed Hamas government in the Gaza Strip Ismail Haneya condemned the killing of bin Laden on Monday, saying "the killing of bin Laden is a continuation of the US policy of destruction."

"We condemn the assassination of any Muslim holy fighter," he said.