RAMALLAH, May 24, 2007, (WAFA)-Minister of Information and government's official spokesman Dr. Mustafa al-Barghouthi voiced Thursday deep condemnation over the kidnapping of Minister of Education, Nassir Eldine al-Shaer, , scores of lawmakers and mayors by Israeli Occupation Forces in the West Bank.

In a press release, al-Barghouthi said that such arrest, against the democratically elected community's leaders, is a massacre against Palestinian democracy, the assault on the Palestinian National Authority ,Presidency and the entire government as well as the legislative Council and the Palestinian civil society institutions.

He added that what was done by Israel is a comprehensive war against the Palestinian people, calling for a collective national movement to confront Israeli schemes to disrupt the Palestinian Authority's institutions in the framework of the series of Israeli crimes, which took many forms, through continued shelling of Gaza and the unjust blockade imposed on the Palestinian people.

"The arrests campaign against the deputies have came under Palestinian efforts to bring about a comprehensive and reciprocal calm, but Israel responded by continued shelling in the Gaza Strip, and the arrest of Deputies, which indicates that it wants to drag the region into a cycle of violence, apparently in preparation for major operations in the region," according to press release.

Al-Barghouthi called on the international community to intervene to stop the crimes of the occupation in the Palestinian territories and to impose sanctions on Israel, which violates international law.

M.H.(12:05 P)(09:05 GMT)