RAMALLAH, Dec. 22 (Xinhuanet) -- Palestine Liberation Organization Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, the front runner to succeed late Yasser Arafat, condemned on Wednesday the Israeli army incursion into the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Younis.

    He criticized the new Israeli military operation as "a series ofepisodes of continuous attacks against our people all over the Palestinian territories."

    Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, said that the Israeli governmentis fully held responsible for tension and escalation in the situation in the Palestinian territories.

    He called upon the international community and the Quartet Committee, namely the UN, EU, US and Russia, to interfere as immediate as possible "to protect our people."

    Two Palestinians were killed in the Israeli incursion into Khan Younis on Wednesday.

    It was the second Israeli incursion into the area within the last five days, and during the first raid on Friday and Saturday, 11 Palestinians were killed and 39 houses destroyed.

    Israeli army said the operation was aimed at preventing Palestinian militants from launching mortar shells and Qassam rockets at Jewish settlements west of Khan Younis.

    Palestinian officials expressed concerns that the Israeli incursions into towns and refugee camps would have a negative effect on the upcoming Palestinian elections due on Jan. 9, 2005. Enditem