Abbas condemns strike on Rantisi as 'terrorist attack'

Ha'aretz ^ | Tuesday, June 10, 2003 Sivan 10, 5763 | Haaretz Service and Agencies

[Phil V.]

w w w . h a a r e t z d a i l y . c o m

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_{Last update - 16:06 10/06/2003}

Abbas condemns strike on Rantisi as 'terrorist attack'

_{By Haaretz Service and Agencies}

Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas condemned Tuesday morning's Gaza City missile strike against Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantisi as a "terrorist attack," and Rantisi called for continuing the "holy war" until there are no more "criminal Zionists" left in Israel.

Rantisi was lightly wounded when an IDF helicopter gunship fired at least six missiles on the car that held Rantisi, killing at least two people and wounded 25 others, including Rantisi's son Ahmed.

"We will continue with our holy war and resistance until every last criminal Zionist is evicted from this land," Rantisi told the Arab TV satellite station Al Jazeera
from his hospital bed.

Abbas said the Israeli operation - which Israel confirmed several hours after the attack was an assassination attempt - was intended to sabotage peace moves.

"Palestinian Pime Minister Mahmoud Abbas condemned the
criminal and terrorist Israeli attack today," Abbas's office said in a statement issued in the West Bank city of Ramallah. "Such attacks obstruct and sabotage the political process."

Rantisi, one of the best-known Hamas spokesmen, is the highest-ranking Palestinian militant to be targeted in an Israeli assassination attempt.

Hamas said that the attack was an Israeli "declaration of war," and that all cease-fire talks with the Palestinian Authority are off, Army Radio reported.

"Israel should expect that this crime...will not pass without severe punishment," senior Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar told al-Jazeera satellite television after Rantissi was wounded.

An Israeli official said the government will keep fighting terror. "Israel hasn`t changed its policy," the official told Israel Radio. "It will continue to struggle against terrorism, because the PA does not."

The Palestinian Authority condemned the attack, which PA official Nabil Amr called an intentional derailing of the Aqaba process.

"This attack is directed against the efforts of the Palestinian government to start Palestinian dialogue with Hamas and other factions in order to have a Palestinian unanimous position concerning the cease-fire and the truce," said PA spokesman Yasser Abed Rabbo.

The Arab League echoed Abed Rabbo's condemnation. "Israel is trying to foil any move towards achieving peace," said Arab league head Amr Moussa. "This attack is not only a violation of the road map but a threat to the peace process," he told reporters in Bahrain. "Continued Israeli attacks will lead to retaliation in kind."

A United States official told Army Radio that the assassination attempt makes it difficult to move forward on the road map and that although Washington accepts Israel's right to defend itself, Israel must consider the results of its actions.

Soon after the attack, news footage showed the charred hulk of Rantisi's jeep spewing flames and black smoke. A number of people were shown hoisting an apparently badly injured man into an ambulance. Witnesses said the helicopters fired as many as seven missiles at the car and at a building where Rantisi lives.

The hardline Rantisi has repeatedly rejected appeals by Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas for an end to armed attacks in the context of the Palestinian uprising. On Monday, Rantisi, 58, a dentist by profession, reiterated his opposition to a cease-fire, saying that attacks would be confined to "the occupiers," indicating that no civil war would break out among Palestinians.

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[American in Israel]

Hamas is not the Government of Palestine. So laying off of them to please Abbas is just admitting that we are dealing with terrorists instead of a Government.

Which end of this stick do you want, we side with terrorists, or we let terrorists kill people to buy favor with our "peace" partners.

This concept of yours is an oxymoron.

[American in Israel]

I'm also convinced that our President is going to suffer some political losses and support from this, and I hope it doesnt benefit the Democrats and allow them some gains.

It will and has caused a tremendous setback in his popularity. It is hard to re-elect a man who is doing crazy things. It seems he may have his daddys problem, getting a second term.

[judicial meanz]

Spot on

[Ready4Freddy]

Well, Israel's policies so far have been so successful, I see your point. ;)

[Ready4Freddy]

Not suggesting that Israel lay off to "buy favor with [their] "peace" partners".

[mass55th]

"Has their 'war on terror' been working very well lately?"

I haven't heard of any bombings in a few weeks, but I may be wrong. Why so critical about the Israelis? They have a right to fight terror in their own country any way they please. They don't tell us how to conduct our war on terror, and aren't critical of whether or not its working here. If they can go without a bombing for even a week in Israel, they're doing something right.

[American in Israel]

Has their 'war on terror' been working very well lately?

So well that they have to be rearmed by America. At the begining of the war I would hear a bomb a week in town and machine gun fire every night. I have not heard a bomb or bullets in months now. My guess is it is working better than anyone expected, and that is the real reason for the Road Map.

Without the Road Map, there will be peace as the Palestinian economy exhausts itself. If we could get Saudi Arabia and the EU to stop sending a hundred million a month to Arafat it would have been over a long time ago. Palestine only produced 60 million a month BEFORE the intifadda.

Why is America propping up the biggest terrorist group in the world right now? Why is Saudi Arabia and the European Union doing the same?

Something stinks in Palestine...

[Ready4Freddy]

"Why so critical about the Israelis?"

I'm not. Why so defensive about them? The Hatfields and McCoys ain't working, Abbas is already using this attack as a possible excuse to fail in his side of the RM. Why give them any excuses so soon after the Summit?

Israel's laying off for a short period won't change the minds of the arab world, of course, but it may help them with others.

Reminds me of that old saying "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results".

[sam_paine]

I'm convinced this is going to eventually end up in a full scale war.

• Build the border wall.
• Start the war and roust all (ALL) the Palis over the wall.
• Declare them a state and tell the UN to go in over there and TRY to keep the peace.
• Kill anyone that hops the wall.
• Allow immigration/visas to the extent (if any) the Knesset chooses.

If the Israelis did this, 22 minutes later Jordan or Syria or one of their other Arab "brothers" would rush in and steal the land from the Pissy Palis, and claim it's Israel's fault.

[judicial meanz]

If the Israelis did this, 22 minutes later Jordan or Syria or one of their other Arab "brothers" would rush in and steal the land from the Pissy Palis, and claim it's Israel's fault

Or their "Arab brothers" would use the Palestinian state, defense treaties, and the Golan Heights terrain advantage to launch a deadly attack that would bisect Israel in about 30 minutes and make it cease to exist.

[Mr. K]

I can't get over this "How dare you try to kill us back!" mentality of the palestinians.

People that stupid should not be allowed their own country.

[TheOtherOne]

These 'humans' openly declare that they dressed in Israeli uniforms and murdered Israelis. Why anyone thinks they and those who take credit and command them have not forfeited their right to walk on this earth is beyond me, and frankly I don't care.

Israel is doing the right thing - too bad it is a coalition of One.

Sun Jun 8, 4:30 PM ET

In this recent undated image released by the Islamic militant group Hamas Sunday June 8, 2003, the three gunmen that carried an attack early Sunday at an Israeli army outpost in the Erez crossing between the Gaza Strip (news - web sites) and Israel, pose dressed in military fatigues in an undisclosed location in the Gaza Strip. The three Palestinians, disguised as Israeli soldiers, sneaked into the army post Sunday and killed four soldiers before being killed by troops. The book they are holding is unknown.(AP Photo/HO)

Sun Jun 8, 8:36 AM ET

An Israeli police officer, center background, looks at the bodies of two Palestinian gunmen at an army post near the Erez crossing in the Gaza Strip (news - web sites) Sunday June 8, 2003. Three Palestinians disguised as Israeli soldiers sneaked into an army post Sunday and killed four soldiers before being killed by troops, the first major attack on Israelis since last week's Mideast summit. (AP Photo/Alberto Dankberg)

Tue Jun 10, 7:29 AM ET

Palestinian firefighters work as others inspect the wreckage of the car of Abdel Aziz Rantisi, political leader of the Islamic group Hamas after Israeli helicopters fired missiles at the car in Gaza city, Tuesday June 10, 2003. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

Tue Jun 10,10:02 AM ET

Wounded Hamas leader Abdel-Aziz al-Rantissi is interviewed from his hospital bed in Gaza, June 10, 2003. After surviving an Israeli attempt to kill him in a helicopter attack on Tuesday, al-Rantissi said that the Palestinian militant group would continue to attack Israel until every last 'Zionist' was gone. REUTERS/Reuters TV

Tue Jun 10, 9:51 AM ET

Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin waits to visit Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantisi at Gaza city's Shifa hospital after Israeli Apache helicopters fired several missiles at his car on Tuesday, June 10, 2003. The Hamas leader's right leg was injured in the strike that left two bystanders dead, doctors said. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)

[mass55th]

"Israel's laying off for a short period won't change the minds of the arab world, of course, but it may help them with others."

Where have you been? Israel HAS laid off on numerous occasions, and it hasn't helped them one bit in the past. You can't ignore bullies because it only emboldens them. Do you really think that if we laid off searching down terrorists in this country and overseas, that it would help our image in other countries? We tried that under Bill Clinton, and it got us 9/11. Since I don't live in Israel, and haven't had to experience the recurrent bombings they have had to endure, I don't feel I have the right to criticize or even recommend how they conduct themselves against the terrorists. Insanity is thinking that you can appease terrorists who will not recognize your right to exist, and who will go to any length to annhilate you.

[chachacha]

Abbas said the Israeli operation - which Israel confirmed several hours after the attack was an assassination attempt - was intended to sabotage peace moves.

Okay GW. TIME TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT STEP>

Someone on your staff better start helping you pick your friends. FOX, PUTIN, and now This terrorist supporting thug Abbas have all been failures. Let your staff look into there hearts. Not you.

And before the pro bush onslaught starts. I support this President "George Bush" and will support him at all costs.

His friends SUCK!

[kjam22]

This "Road Map" crap isnt going to work, and neither is any other type of political solution. I'm convinced this is going to eventually end up in a full scale war.

I agree with this. I'm just not sure that the "eventually" part will happen in my life time. These guys have been fighting and arguing for a long long time. I don't see it ending in the next 40 years.

[kjam22]

Yeah if GW would send in troops and kill Hamas, the PLO and whoever else wants to be a terrorist.... he would be undefeatable in the next election cycle.

[chachacha]

So we accept terrorism?

[kjam22]

NO... I'd vote for the guy who launched a full scale war against terrorism. I think the american people are sick and tired of hearing about hamas, the plo, arafat and all that. I think the american public would be grateful if we just eliminated that whole segment of inhumanity.

[yonif]

Or are you just so heavily into the Hatfields & McCoys gig that you think that Israel can't 'afford' to lay off for a month or so?

Lay off for a month? This is a war on terrorism. It continues daily. Laying off for a month harms security. Israel should do what is right for Israel, not what is right for America (and that is to have good standing in the Arab and European world).

[jerrymdss]

1. It is open season on terrorists, especially Hamas. They have no rights -- they surrendered all rights when they decided to act like the barbaric scum they are.

2. Push the palis into cival war -- lets get on with it.

3. There is no solution to this problem other than wiping out the terrorist organizations first -- Bush is fooling himself to believe otherwise.