YASSIN EMBRACED AS MARTYR BY ARAFAT, MUCH LIKE JOGGER KHOURI

IMAR ^ | 3-21-04 | Michael Widlanski

[SJackson]

YASSIN EMBRACED AS MARTYR BY ARAFAT, MUCH LIKE JOGGER KHOURI

By Michael Widlanski 22 March 2004

Yasser Arafat's Palestinian National Authority publicly embraced the slain Sheikh Ahmad Yassin, leader of the HAMAS movement, as a "brother warrior," following his fiery death by helicopter-borne Israeli missiles.

Sheikh Yassin, who was crippled in a soccer game in his youth, had been the active spiritual leader of the HAMAS (an abbreviation in Arabic for Harakat al-Muqawwima al-Islamiyya: The Islamic Resistance Movement) which calls for Israel's destruction and has taken responsibility for more than several hundred murders of Israelis.

"Today is a bloody day in Gaza" declared Palestinian State television from Gaza only minutes after two Israeli missiles caught Sheikh Yassin in his wheel chair as he emerged from the dawn prayers, known as al-Fajr, from a mosque in Gaza.

"This is a day that has bought the red blood and the pure body of the Sheikh, the crippled sheikh, who had led the Islamic resistance movement," proclaimed Arafat's state television which called Yassin a "shaheed"-Arabic for "martyr" or "witness to Allah's greatness."

It was the second day in a row that Arafat's PNA and his FATAH movement publicly identified themselves with a policy of terror attacks against Israel. In yesterday's programming, the Palestinian state broadcasting media opened with an elaborate public apology from Arafat and his colleagues to the parents of George Elias Khouri who had been shot down by FATAH gunmen in a Jerusalem neighborhood on Friday night while he was jogging.

Arafat and his colleagues, speaking through Voice of Palestine Radio yesterday, made it clear that their actions were an innocent but tragic mistake not because they had murdered an unarmed man in Jerusalem but because the man turned out to be an Arab and not a Jew.

The murder of Khouri, a student at Hebrew University, was doubly embarrassing to Arafat because the 20-year-old student was the son of Elias Khouri, a wealthy lawyer who has defended PNA and FATAH members in Israeli courts.

The Voice of Palestine radio and PA tv emphasized that the FATAH declared George Khouri "a shaheed"-a martyr, but lawyer Elias Khouri, a Christian rejected the Islamic-tinged complement even as other PA officials sheepishly acknowledged their discomfort.

"Mistakes happen," admitted Ziad Abu-Zayad, one of the PNA's top officials in the Jerusalem area.

Arafat's FATAH movement originally bragged about the killing of the "settler" in the "settlement" of French Hill at the foot of Mount Scopus, the original campus of the Hebrew University which had been Jewish-owned territory even before 1948.

Rather than dissociate itself from terror actions or condemning or hemming in the HAMAS or the FATAH "Martyrs' Brigades," Arafat's state media have returned their programming to incessant incitement, playing martial music, songs of martyrdom and showing film montages of bloody clashes between Palestinians and Israel.

"This is another example of the state terror and the assassinations of Israel," declared PA television from Gaza shortly after seven am Monday.

The Palestinian media gave great stress to the Israeli reports that Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon, who is facing severe political and legal problems, personally directed "the cowardly assassination operation."

The tone of the broadcasts suggested that a personal revenge attempt against the Israeli leader was actually being encouraged.

"These are the actions of a crazy state that does not care about inflaming the entire region," declared PA television.

* Dr. Michael Widlanski teaches at the Hebrew University's Rothberg School. He recently completed a seven-year research project on the Palestinian broadcast media.

[SJackson]

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Sheikh Ahmad Yassin

THIS IS THE CENTURY OF ISLAM IN ITS STRUGGLE AGAINST THE US; THE CHOICE IS BETWEEN VICTORY AND DEATH FOR JIHAD

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

(Distributed by IDF Spokespersons' Office on 22 March 2004)

Leader of Hamas terrorist organization, Ahmed Yassin, responsible for murderous attacks, killed today in Gaza

The founder and leader of the Hamas terrorist organization, Ahmed Yassin, was killed today in the northern Gaza Strip.

Yasin was the leader and mentor of Hamas in the territories, and the authorizing and initiating authority for all Hamas terrorist attacks emanating from the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Although he was not a religious authority, many named him "Sheikh Yassin," for his status as leader of Hamas.

The perception that Yassin was the "political" leader and left the management of terrorist activities to others is incorrect. In fact, there is no differentiation between the "political" and "military" wings of Hamas. Yassin, himself, often authorized and encouraged attacks and strongly preached against Israel.

Yassin, was arrested twice by Israel: While under arrest by the ISA in 1984, Yassin stated during interrogation that he founded an organization of religious activists, an organization with the goal of fighting non-religious factions in the territories, and carrying out "Jihad" operations against Israel. This organization used monies from Islamic activists in Jordan in order to acquire large quantities of weapons.

Following this interrogation, Yassin was imprisoned. In May 1985, he was released within the framework of a prisoner release agreement.

In 1989, Yassin ordered Hamas to kidnap Israeli soldiers inside Israel, to murder them and bury their bodies in a manner which would allow Hamas to negotiate the exchange of bodies for Hamas prisoners, who would be released from jails in Israel.

Yassin was arrested after the abduction and murder of IDF soldier Ilan Sa'adon, and the discovery of the body of IDF soldier Avi Sasports, who was also abducted and murdered. Yassin was tried in Israel and received two life sentences for his involvement in these attacks.

In 1989, during an interrogation, by the ISA, Saleh Shade, appointed by Yassin, admitted to the establishment of a terrorist element within Hamas. Yassin was also arrested and confirmed in interrogation, that he himself ordered the establishment of a military element within the organization, and approved the drafting of terrorists as well as the carrying out of terrorist attacks.

After his release from prison in October 1997, Yassin again became involved in Hamas terrorist operations. His involvement included directing terrorist attacks in the field and providing financial assistance to terrorists.

Yassin tried many times to present himself simply as a political leader not involved terrorist activities.

Many of Yassin's interviews in the media serve as evidence that the exact opposite is true, and that he supported and directed terror.

After the suicide bombing on Jan. 14, 2004, at the Erez crossing in which Reem Raiyshi detonated herself, interviews of Yassin were aired on many media, and displayed his satisfaction with the execution of the attack. Yassin especially justified the use of a woman in order to carry out the attack and said, "Hamas views women as the reserve force. when the military wing of the Hamas saw it necessary to use a woman to carry out an attack, it did so."

Yassin was the senior authority in the decision making process for carrying out terrorist attacks, and was the main address in all matters concerning the determining the policy for terrorism and was viewed as a highly admired and charismatic persona serving as a main factor in attacks against Israel.

[Diogenesis]

"This is another example of FINALLY ENDING state terror and the assassinations of by Israel ..."

[BurgessLau]

Congratulations to Israelis! Their superb execution of the terrorist leader Sheikh Ahmad Yassin is a cause for celebration. Unfortunately the U. S. government once again merely calls for "restraint." Instead the U. S. government should loudly proclaim its support for the assassination and urge Israel to do more -- beginning with the killing of Yassir Arafat, and proceeding to the destruction of the Palestinian Authority.

[Publius6961]

About 40 years overdue...

[LibFreeUSA]

I think that this was a 'dumb' move. Not sure how this takes them one step closer to eliminating the problem. It will only make more terrorists out of that rat hole over there.

I don't think that Sharon is all the bright. He's the one who got them in the mess in Lebanon, by invading all the way to Beirut.

Sharon was also the one to ignite the most recent debacle facing Israel when he led that march onto that holy place in Jerusalem.

This 'assasination' only points to their lack of any credible military option on the table, which is what they should be considering.

[veronica]

Israel finally wiped the smile off that evil face.

:)))

[Guvmint_Cheese]

Oooooh boy. I'm thrilled that the man is dead, but I think Sharon just kicked the bees nest here. I hope he's prepared for what's about to come of this.

[FITZ]

I hope he's prepared for what's about to come of this.

I'm sure now the Islamics will say they are going to destroy Israel and the USA ---- but that's what they've been saying anyhow.

[LibFreeUSA]

I think that this was a 'dumb' move. Not sure how this takes them one step closer to eliminating the problem. It will only make more terrorists out of that rat hole over there.

I don't think that Sharon is all the bright. He's the one who got them in the mess in Lebanon, by invading all the way to Beirut.

Sharon was also the one to ignite the most recent debacle facing Israel when he led that march onto that holy place in Jerusalem.

This 'assasination' only points to their lack of any credible military option on the table, which is what they should be considering.

[Happy2BMe]

Justice is sweet.

Hamas: Sharon has opened the gates of hell (United States could be a target)

Hamas: Sharon has opened the gates of hell (United States could be a target)

Gates of Hell Threats

[Happy2BMe]

Yassir is next.

[Diogenesis]

You are partly correct.
Sharon got Israel in a mess by not murdering every terrorist he could.

However, the grounding of Yassin is a good start. WTG, Arik.

[dennisw]

This 'assasination' only points to their lack of any credible military option on the table, which is what they should be considering.

Israel awaits your sage advice. What do you suggest when it comes to defense against irrational Islamikazis? Who are hardly into rational discourse and compromise.

Go read up on the murderous, life of pedophile Muhammad. This is the man the Koran exhorts them to emulate.

[blam]

"I think that this was a 'dumb' move."

I agree... they should have killed Arafat first then Yassin.

[neuron2]

Go read up on the murderous, life of pedophile Muhammad.

I'd like to do that. Please advise on appropriate source material. Thank you.

[Piranha]

Very interesting. I never knew that Yassin wasn't actually a Sheikh or religious leader, but that the title was unofficial!

[detsaoT]

The murder of Khouri, a student at Hebrew University, was doubly embarrassing to Arafat because the 20-year-old student was the son of Elias Khouri, a wealthy lawyer who has defended PNA and FATAH members in Israeli courts.

Wow! Talk about divine retribution - what were the odds that the son of an apologist for terrorism would be killed by the same terrorists, anyway?

I'm not saying the poor kid deserved to die or anything, but I wonder if it caused the father to reconsider the support he has been giving to the terrorists over in the PLO... I seriously doubt it - he will probably be more anti-Israel than ever before. After all, Ariel Sharon must've personally pulled that trigger, right?

[lobo59]

This was the day that he said would be the happiest day of his life. It is way past time that many more islamic murderers and terrorists who slaughter and maim innocent women and children should be made so happy.

It is an endless pornagraphic slander though to call him a "spiritual leader". There is no spiritual basis in islam, only mindless demonic hatred and inciting to murder and destroy those who do possess civilized or spiritual values.

[swarthyguy]

Somebody decided that the Saudi protection shield on Yassin is kaput.

Right after Powell leaves Riyadh after protesting the detention of reformers.

This is the equivalent of sticking a stick into a hornets nest.