GAZA, Jan. 21 (Xinhuanet) -- The Islamic Jihad (Holy War) declared on Saturday that the group will exclude both Israeli and Palestinian civilians from future violence.

    But Sheikh Khaled al-Batch, a prominent Jihad leader in Gaza,demanded in a statement that the international community stop pressures on the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to disarmmilitant groups.

    "The international community also has to press the Zionist enemy to stop violence against the Palestinians instead of merely holding the Palestinians responsible for the attacks," he said.

    On Thursday, a Jihad member blew himself up near the old central bus station in Tel Aviv, wounding about 30 Israelis. Al-Batch said that the suicide attack was a "natural responseto the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land and violence againstthe Palestinian people."

    He said that Jihad had no choice but to "respond to these Israeli crimes."

    Jihad, a Palestinian militant group sworn to Israel's destruction, has carried out deadly attacks on Israel in the past. On Dec. 5, a Palestinian suicide bomber killed five Israelis near a mall in the Israeli city of Netanya. Jihad claimed responsibility for it.

    The group has also decided to boycott the upcoming Palestinian legislative elections slated for next Wednesday. Enditem