Netanyahu calls bombing down of Gaza tower housing media offices legitimate
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Washington: Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has justified the bombing down a tower in Gaza that housed international media offices like Al-Jazeera and the Associated Press, calling it a legitimate attack. He alleged the tower was also housed a Palestinian 'terrorist' intelligence office.
He said the Israeli force was acting on intelligence about the Palestinian terrorist organization's presence in the tower that he alleged was in the process of plotting and organizing the terror attacks against Israeli civilians.
Netanyahu, who lost the majority in the Israel Parliament to form the government, is reported to have been in the quest of ways to deviate the real political issue back home and by which to confirm his continuation as the Prime Minister.
Political experts are of the opinion that the latest escalation of the tension is linked to the political turmoil Netanyahu is facing.
The Associated Press said Israel had not yet provided it with evidence of terrorist activity in the building, which was reduced to rubble by the strike.
"What the AP would like is... an independent investigation into what happened yesterday," AP executive editor Sally Buzbee told CNN.
"We're in a conflict situation. We do not take sides in that conflict. We have heard the Israelis say they have evidence. We don't know what that evidence is."
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday pleaded for an immediate end to the outbreak of deadly Israeli-Palestinian violence, warning that the fighting could plunge the region into an "uncontainable security and humanitarian crisis."
US President Joe Biden on Saturday underscored Israel's right to defend itself in a phone call with Netanyahu but also expressed "grave concern" over the violence as well as for the safety of journalists.
The escalating conflict was sparked by unrest in Jerusalem that had simmered for weeks and led to clashes between riot police and Palestinians, fuelled by anger over planned Israeli expulsions of Palestinians in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of east Jerusalem.