BEIRUT: Palestinians have the right to defend themselves by all possible means, Progressive Socialist Party Leader MP Walid Jumblatt said in remarks published Thursday.

“The Palestinian people have the right to defend itself themselves by all possible means and ways,” Jumblatt, who spoke to Al-Joumhouria, said.

His comments come after a bus exploded in Tel Aviv, Israel, near the near the defense ministry's headquarters, and wounded at least 17 Israelis.

“When the massacres against the Palestinian civilians stop, the bombings that target Israeli civilians will stop,” Jumblatt said.

The PSP leader also held the United Nations Security Council responsible for not taking enough measures to defend Palestinians.

“When will the Security Council seriously pay attention to the Palestinian cause and give the Palestinian people their right to have their own state and the refugees the right to return [to their homeland]?” Jumblatt asked.

Following days of marathon talks, Israel and Hamas finally agreed Wednesday to an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire accord to end a week of violence in and around the Gaza Strip.