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Ten Months after Disengagement, Terror Reigns in Gaza
As Hamas-led Palestinian Authority Fails in its Responsibility to Curb Rocket Strikes,
Terror Attacks, Israel Re-enters Gaza to Save Victim of Kidnapping
Almost a year after Israel completely withdrew all of its forces and civilians from the Gaza Strip to internationally-recognized borders, the Palestinian Authority (P.A.) has failed to reign in terrorist activities perpetrated by various terrorist groups operating under its jurisdiction and to provide the Palestinian people with basic laws to develop civil institutions and democratic progress. On Wednesday, after exhausting all diplomatic efforts to gain the release of Cpl. Gilad Shalit, the Israel Air Force (IAF) embarked on "Operation Summer Rain" in an attempt to prevent Shalit's captors from transferring him to another location. IAF planes bombed three bridges and a power station in Gaza near the area where the kidnapped soldier is believed to be currently held. [1]
The June 25 kidnapping of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Cpl. Gilad Shalit as he patrolled the Kerem Shalom crossing on the Israeli side of the southern Gaza Strip border is only one in a long series of terrorist actions against Israel since the disengagement last August.
Addressing the Jewish Agency Board of Trustees on June 26, Israeli Prime Minister (PM) Ehud Olmert declared, "We view the Palestinian Authority, headed by Mahmoud Abbas, Abu-Mazen, and the Palestinian Authority Government, as directly responsible for yesterday's terror attack, for the kidnapping of an Israeli soldier and for the duty to bring him back safe and sound to the State of Israel. This is not a matter of negotiation, it is not a matter of bargaining and it is not a matter of agreement - it is a matter of fundamental duty to abide by the international community's elementary standards of decency, and anyone who wants to be part of the international community must adhere to these rules. The question of release of prisoners is not at all on the agenda of the Government of Israel." [2]
The attack on Cpl. Gilad Shalit and his unit was carried out by eight terrorists affiliated with Hamas' Izz Eddeen al-Qassam Brigade, the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) and a new terrorist organization calling itself the Army of Islam - presumed to be associated with the global Islamic Jihad movement. The Arabic daily Al-Hayat reported that the operation was the brainchild of former PRC chairman and leader Jamal abu Samhadana, who was also the security chief for the Hamas-controlled Palestinian Authority (P.A.). Samhadana was responsible for the deaths of several Israeli and American civilians and was wanted by Israel for his terrorist ties and his involvement in several terrorist attacks. He was responsible for the bombing on Oct. 15, 2003 in which three American private security contractors were killed in an attack on a U.S. Embassy convoy in Gaza.
Shalit holds dual Israeli-French citizenship, and French officials also have been working to secure his release. [3]
Popular Resistance Committees spokesman Abu Mujahid claimed that the attack and kidnapping were in retaliation for the June 8, 2006 IDF air strike in Gaza that killed abu Samhadana. [4]
According to Palestinian sources, nearly 2,500 Egyptian border guards were deployed in the Rafah area on Monday - the former Philadelphi Route - due to the concern that those who kidnapped Shalit would try to smuggle him into Egypt. [5]
Prime Minister Olmert warned that, "The recent manifestations of incessant shooting of Qassam rockets aimed at the residents of the south of Israel, and now this violent and severe provocation which took place yesterday morning, compel us to respond, and I state here that we will respond. We will respond against any terrorist, against any terror organization, wherever they are, and you know - and they know - that we know how to reach them even in distant places, even when they think they are hiding, even when they believe they are safe." [6]
In response to PM Olmert's speech on Monday, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri threatened, "An Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip after Palestinian resistance kidnapped an Israeli soldier would lead to an expansion of [the] resistance's operations." [7]
Also on Monday, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade - a terrorist organization closely associated with Palestinian Authority President and Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) declared that after three years of work they have developed more than 20 different forms of chemical and biological weapons that could be affixed to Qassam rockets fired into Israel. [8]
A message on the Brigade's e-mail distribution list stated that the Al-Aqsa Marytrs' Brigade "won't hesitate to use these materials, which will be carried by our long-range missiles and bomb the Zionist usurping settlements if Gaza is invaded." [9]
Shalit's captors have demanded that all Palestinian female prisoners and all teenagers under the age of 18 be released in exchange for any information about the corporal. [10] (see below)
Hamas' Izz Eddeen al-Qassam Brigade commander in Gaza, Ahmed Jabri, has been in constant contact with exiled Hamas politburo in Damascus, Khaled Meshaal, presumably regarding the kidnapped soldier's situation. [11]
Syria and Iran have granted sanctuary to exiled Hamas terrorists and have resisted American requests to close Hamas bureaus in Syria. [12]
Growing Worries that Second Missing Israeli also Abducted by Terrorists
On Tuesday, there was growing concern that an 18-year-old Israeli last seen Sunday had also fallen victim to Palestinian terrorists.
Members of the Popular Resistance Committees, one of the groups that has taken responsibility for abducting Shalit, also said it kidnapped Eliyahu Asheri, who lives in the Israeli town of Itamar, near the West Bank city of Nablus.
Israeli security forces at first were wary about the PRC's claims, saying they were waiting for the group to follow through on its claim that it was going to produce evidence of the kidnapping. [13]
On Wednesday morning in Israel, the PRC threatened to kill their victim if Israel didn't stop its entry into the Gaza Strip, which began early Wednesday. "We are running out of patience," the Popular Resistance Committees said in a statement. [14]
One of Asheri's classmates told police that on Sunday night he had seen Asheri hitchhiking from Jerusalem's French Hill hitchhiking post. In the meantime, Israeli officials were trying to determine if there was a connection between Asheri and a body found in Ramallah. [15]
Background and Key Facts on Palestinian Prisoners
Shalit's captors are demanding that Israel release all female prisoners and teenagers under the age of 18 in exchange for some information on Shalit's condition and whereabouts. Israel is refusing to release any Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Shalit.
Most of the females in Israeli prisons are serving time for helping to plan and carry out suicide bombings, assisting in terrorist operations and for stabbing Israeli soldiers. Palestinian prisoners in Israeli under the age of 18 are predominantly jailed for throwing Molotov cocktails, transporting knives or for associating with terrorist organizations. [16]
Israeli Prison Authority spokeswoman Orit Stelster said 64 women and 91 juveniles "have blood on their hands" out of the 109 women and 313 juveniles currently in prison.[17]
The Palestinian women prisoners in Israeli jails have close ties to terrorist organizations. "About 35 percent of [the women prisoners] are from Fatah, about 20 percent are from the Islamic Jihad and about 20 per cent are from Hamas," according to Stelster. [18]
Palestinian 'Prisoners' Agreement': No Basis for Peace Deal with Israel
Hamas leadership in Syria gave the green light for the attack on Kerem Shalom in attempts to 'torpedo' the negotiations between Hamas and Fatah on the Prisoners' Agreement . [19]
On Tuesday, President Mahmoud Abbas of the Fatah party and Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas engaged in last minute negotiations on the document in an attempt to prevent Hamas leadership abroad from sabotaging the agreement. [20]
Hamas has made it clear that they will not recognize Israel but has conceded to limiting resistance to the 1967 territories. [21] The agreement also calls for the formation of a national unity government and the end to the launching of Qassam rockets into Israel. [22]
Signatories of the document plan to establish a Palestinian unity government within two weeks time. [23]
Senior Islamic Jihad official Jihad Khaled al-Batsh said the faction would issue a statement later outlining its position on the document. Islamic Jihad has been the leading opposition voice to the agreement. [24]
The Hamas-led Palestinian government leadership anticipates this new image will make the West accept it as a legitimate and aid-worthy government. [25]
Footnotes
[1] Harel, Amos, Issacharoff, Avi, Benn, Aluf, Alon, Gideon, Haaretz Correspondents, Haaretz Service and Agencies, "Troops take control of airport, open areas east of Rafah," Haaretz, June 28, 2006, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/731555.html
[2] "Excerpt from address by PM Olmert to the Jewish Agency Board of Trustees," Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, June 26, 2006, http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Government/Speeches+by+Israeli+leaders/2006/Address+by+PM+Olmert+to+Jewish
+Agency+Board+of+Trustees+26-Jun-2006.htm
[3] Harel, Amos, "Palestinian FM, brother of Hamas military chief, meets with Egyptian envoys," Haaretz, June 26, 2006, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/731476.html
[4] Agencies, "Israeli soldier missing after Gaza attack," Al-Jazeera , June 25, 2006, http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres
/007A0EE2-6DFE-4480-B3B3-05356F29B88F.htm
[5] Harel, Amos, Issacharoff, Avi, Benn, Aluf, Alon, Gideon, Haaretz Correspondents, Haaretz Service and Agencies, "Troops take control of airport, open areas east of Rafah," Haaretz, June 28, 2006, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/731555.html
[6] "Excerpt from address by PM Olmert to the Jewish Agency Board of Trustees," Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, June 26, 2006, http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Government/Speeches+by+Israeli+leaders/2006/Address+by+PM+Olmert+to+Jewish
+Agency+Board+of+Trustees+26-Jun-2006.htm
[7] "Hamas warns that Israeli sweep of the Strip would entail expanding resistance," Palestine Information Center, June 27, 2006, http://www.palestine-info.co.uk/am/publish/article_18893.shtml
[8] Abu Toameh, Khaled, "Al-Aqsa claims chemical capabilities," The Jerusalem Post, June 26, 2006, http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1150885848200&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
[9] The Media Line Staff, "Brigades: We have chemical and biological weapons," The Media Line , June 26, 2006, http://themedialine.org/news/news_detail.asp?newsid=14154
[10] Alon, Gideon, Harel, Amos, Issacharoff, Avi, Benn Aluf, Haaretz Correspondents, Haaretz Service and Agencies, "Groups behind abduction want women, youths freed from Israeli jails," Haaretz, June 25, 2006, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/730994.html
[11] Harel, Amos, Issacharoff, Avi, Benn, Aluf, Alon, Gideon, Haaretz Correspondents, Haaretz Service and Agencies, "IDF believes captured soldier being held in southern Gaza," Haaretz, June 27, 2006, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/731555.html
[12] Oweis, Khaled Yacoub, "Hamas says Israel threats on exiled leaders serious," The Washington Post, June 27, 2006, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dvn/content/article/2006/06/27/AR2006062700436.html
[13] Harel, Amos; Lis, Jonathan; Azoulay, Yuval; Haaretz Service, "Militants say will kill abducted settler if IDF doesn't end Gaza raid," Haaretz, June 28, 2006, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/731937.html
[14] Ibid.
[15] Soil, Rebecca Anna, "Report: Israeli body found in Ramallah," The Jerusalem Post , June 28, 2006
[16] Halpern, Orly, "Palestinian female prisoners have 'blood on their hands,'" Globe and Mail, June 27, 2006, http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060627.MIDESATSIDE27/TPStory/TPInternational/Africa/
[17] Ibid.
[18] Ibid.
[19] Abu Toameh, Khaled. "'No chance IDF op can rescue soldier," The Jerusalem Post, June 25, 2006, http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1150885848088&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
[20] Ibid.
[21] Issacharoff, Avi. "Fatah: PA to formulate unity government within two weeks," Haaretz, June 28, 2006,
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/731970.html
[22] Issacharoff, Avi. " Palestinian factions agree on new draft of 'national reconciliation document,'" Haaretz, June 28, 2006,
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/732038.html
[23] Issacharoff, Avi. "Fatah: PA to formulate unity government within two weeks," Haaretz, June 28, 2006,
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/731970.html
[24] Ibid.
[25] Foreign News Desk, "HAMAS Changes its Image to Receive Foreign Help," Zaman Online, June 18, 2006, http://www.zaman.com/?bl=international&alt=&hn=34087
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