BEIJING, Sept. 8 -- Tensions are on the rise in Gaza after masked gunmen killed ex-security chief Moussa Arafat, cousin of the late Yasser Arafat, early Wednesday morning. They dragged him from his home and shot him dead in the street. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas convened ministers and security chiefs for an emergency meeting in Gaza.

    Nabil Shaa¡¯th, Palestinian deputy prime minister, said: "President Abbas condemned that heinous crime and has ordered all measures to be taken to take serious action those who are taken to court and taking all the security measures to prevent any further occurrences."

    Abdallah al-Ifranji, a senior aide to Abbas, said the security services had been alerted since early morning. And the top Palestinian leaders and all security forces are determined to find those behind the killing.

    Al-Ifranji warned the killing has serious implications in the Palestinian territories, especially when Israel is withdrawing from the Gaza Strip.

    In Jerusalem, a Likud Party MP warned of the effect the incident might have on Israel.

    Likud Party Knesset member Danny Yatom said: "If clashes will erupt there and the different factions will continue to kill each other, then it might spill over also to Israel and we have to be on a high alert and to keep a very close eye to the developments in Gaza.

    Yatom said the incident may affect Israel's decision to hand over territory next week. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was to meet aides on Wednesday to finalize details for the handover to the Palestinians set for September 15th.

    (Source: cctv.com)