The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) strongly rejected on Saturday the calls made by a number of Palestinian officials and intellectuals about adopting non-violent means in retaliating to the assassination the movement's spiritual leader Ahmad Yassin.

Representative of the Hamas movement Mohamad Ghazal told reporters that "those who issued this communique do not represent Palestinians, because Palestinians have chosen to adopt resistance until ousting the occupation and gaining freedom."

Ghazal expressed his movement's strong rejection to the communique that has been published since Thursday in the Ramallah based "Al-Ayyam" daily, calling for responding to the assassination of Yassin through peaceful means.

The communique included a petition that was signed by about 80 dignitaries that refereed to themselves as "the group of political intellectuals," with Fatah movement's representative Abbas Zaki was among the signatories.

It called on Palestinians not to carry out attacks to avenge the killing of Sheikh Yassin, saying that violent retaliation would provide Israel with pretexts to resume its military aggressions and assassination operations against Palestinians.