RAMALLAH, Oct. 7 (Xinhuanet) -- A senior Palestinian official said Thursday that the silence of the international community contributed partly to the continuation of Israeli offensives in northern Gaza Strip.

   Speaking to reporters, Hassan Abu Lebda, chief of staff of Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, said that the Palestinian National Authority blamed the world for inaction toward the ongoing Israeli military operation.

   "The silence of the world, especially the United States which istotally supporting Israel, in fact gives Israel the green light to rearrange the whole region in order to become the master of the Middle East," said Abu Lebda.

   Such Israeli and US practices were "irresponsible," he said,adding that "the Israeli behavior only ignited the whole area and kept it burning."

   Abu Lebda also slammed statements published on Wednesday on Israeli daily Ha'aretz, in which Dov Weisglass, a top aide to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, said that the Gaza pullout plan was aimed at freezing the Middle East peace process.

   "Those who follow Sharon's statements over the past six months would find the contradiction in his statements, and what he says is completely different from what he does on the ground," said AbuLebda.

   Considering Weisglass' statement as very dangerous, he said that the Palestinians wanted real guarantees that the roadmap peace plan could be implemented.

   The Israeli army has been staging a large-scale military operation in northern Gaza Strip since Sept. 28, in a bid to stop militants from firing homemade Qassam rockets at southern Israel.

   More than 70 Palestinians have been killed and hundred others wounded in the week-long campaign.  Enditem