Ovadia Yosef: May Abbass and His People Perish from This World

Local Editor

Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef Saturday night wished death on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his people, who he called "evil, bitter enemies of Israel", Haaretz quoted the Army Radio.

During his weekly sermon at a synagogue near his Al Quds (Jerusalem) home, Rabbi Ovadia was quoted saying that God should strike Abu Mazen and his people with a plague.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Eli Yishai, also from Shas, earlier this week also remarked on the forthcoming peace talks with the Palestinians, saying that Shas would oppose extending the West Bank settlement construction freeze due to expire in late September.

Just last week, Chairman Eli Yishai said he would firmly object to an extension of the settlement construction freeze in the West Bank. He also said he was hanging no hopes on the renewed negotiations because he does not foresee in the near future a Palestinian government with which an agreement can be reached.

A senior official in the Palestinian Authority close to Abu Mazen told Yedioth Ahronoth on Yosef's responded "Even in "Israel" they have stopped paying attention to him."