Israel considers referendum on peace deal with Palestinians

JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that he is considering to put any possible peace agreement with the Palestinians to a national referendum.

“It is clear to me that any agreement that I will bring will be brought to the nation for a decision, and there are a number of ways to do that,” Netanyahu was quoted as saying Tuesday by a local daily, Xinhua reported.

Speaking during a tour to southern Israel’s Ashkelon and Sderot, Netanyahu also warned the Islamic Hamas movement not to fire rockets into Israeli territories.

“I recommend that Hamas and the other organisations not test our determination to respond to the fire,” he said.

Located close to the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, Ashkelon and Sderot are often hit by rockets and mortars fired by Palestinian militants.

“There were shootings recently, and we responded and hit Hamas targets, including a senior Hamas official. We will continue with this policy,” the premier added, referring to the killing of former Hamas military commander Eyad Shelbaneh last week.

Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said Friday that its troops shot and killed Shelbaneh, who was running towards soldiers in a menacing manner, during a midnight raid near the West Bank town of Tulkarm.

His family, on the other side, said Israeli soldiers broke into their house and assassinated Shelbaneh.

As the direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority is underway, Hamas, while condemning the talks and trying to foil them, carried out a dozen rocket attacks against Israel in recent days.