Israeli killing of Rantisi draws world condemnation

Xinhuanet ^ | 4-17-04

[Indy Pendance]

BEIJING, April 18 (Xinhuanet) -- The international community on Saturday condemned Israel's assassination of Abdel Aziz Rantisi, leader of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).

   Rantisi died Saturday evening of his wounds after Israel blew up his car in Gaza City. The assassination came less than one month following the killing of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, Hamas founder and spiritual leader, in a similar air attack on March 22. 

   Javier Solana, foreign policy chief of the European Union (EU), indicated that the killing was unlawful and "not conducive to lowering tension."

   "The European Union has consistently condemned extrajudicial killings. Today's action will not facilitate a positive outcome of this (Middle East peace) process," Solana said in a statement issued during talks between EU and Asian foreign ministers in Ireland.

	(Xinhua/AFP/File)

   British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said such assassinations were both wrong and unhelpful to peace.

   "The British government has made it repeatedly clear that so-called targeted assassinations of this kind are unlawful, unjustified and counterproductive," Straw said in a statement.

   Italy warned the killing could lead to further bloodshed.

   "Italy, like the whole of the European Union, has always condemned the practice of targeted assassinations, which contribute to furthering the spiral of hatred and violence," Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said.

   Portuguese Foreign Minister Teresa Gouveia said the assassination "in no way contributes to the resolution of the Middle East conflict."

   Iranian Vice President Mohammad Ali Abtahi, calling Rantisi a "martyr," said the assassination was a "big crime" that "will only give fresh blood to the resistance (movement) in the region."

   Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said: "It is a new crime after the one of killing (Hamas founder and spiritual leader) Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and hundreds of the Palestinians."

   He added that the move showed the "Israeli government's deception of the world and killing of chances for peace."

   Jordan called the killing a "heinous crime."

   "The Jordanian government was shocked by the Israeli heinous crime, which violates all international charters and ethics," said a government statement.

   "Following the assassination of (Hamas founder) Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the Israeli government continued a series of crimes with the assassination of Rantisi," the statement said.

   It called the Israeli move "a dangerous and deliberate escalation which once again confirms its (Israel's) responsibility for stepping up violence, killing and destruction."

   Moroccan Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Ministry, calling the assassination a rascal action, urged the international community to take effective measures to stop "crimes of violence."

   Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei also condemned Israel's assassination of the Islamic resistance movement leader, accusing the United States of encouraging such a killing.

   The Israeli move has crossed "all red lines," Qurei said in his first reaction to the latest Israeli "targeted killing" of Palestinian militant leaders.

   "The Palestinian cabinet considers the Israeli terrorist offensive a direct result of America's encouragement and total bias towards Israel," Qurei said in a statement issued in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

   Mohammed Sobeh, Palestinian permanent representative to the Arab League (AL), denounced that "the Middle East peace process has been killed by the Israeli government led by (Prime Minister Ariel) Sharon."

   Sobeh accused the United States of supporting Israel's "terrorist policy" against the Palestinian people, saying that Israeli terrorist acts, destruction and killings against Palestinians were given the green light from Washington.

   He warned that "a wave of violence and terrorism will sweep several regions in the world due to what is happening in the occupied Palestinian territories."

   "The entire world, and particularly the Arabs, are required to take decisive deterrent actions against Sharon's terrorist government," said the Palestinian envoy.

   However, an unnamed senior US State Department official said the United States gave no green light for Israel to kill Rantisi, the CNN news network reported.

   Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat said resistance is the only way.

   "Arafat and the Palestinian leadership reiterate that the crimes of the occupation forces will only reinforce our resistance, " the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) said in a statement.

   The PNA chief negotiator, Saeb Erekat, joined in the condemnation of the Israeli assassination.

   "The Palestinian leadership strongly condemned the organized state terror of the Israeli government against our defenseless people," Erekat said.

   "The Israeli government is completely responsible for such barbarian and terror of state practices against the Palestinian people," he added.

   Ismail Haniya, a senior Hamas member, vowed that revenge "is coming," saying "Israel will regret this."

   "Rantisi's blood will not flow in vain," he said. "The battle will not weaken our determination or break our will."

   Meanwhile, Israeli officials hailed the killing of Rantisi and insisted that Israel would continue to kill other Hamas leaders.

   "Israel will do with the rest of the heads of terrorist organizations," said Ra'anan Gissin, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's spokesman.

   "The Palestinian (National) Authority must take this signal very seriously," he added.

   He said there would be no peace and no Palestinian state before the cessation of violence and terrorist attacks.

   Commenting on the assassination of Rantisi, Israeli Education Minister Limor Livnat said: "These are people who send others to kill us."

   Israeli government sources said earlier that the killing was a severe blow to Hamas, which still had not recovered from the assassination of Yassin.

[Piranha]

Has Shimon Peres of Israel's Labor Party condemned it yet? If not, I'm sure it's coming soon.

[RonHolzwarth]

reply to: "The European Union has consistently condemned extrajudicial killings."

Yeah, right, except when it is Palestinian homicide bombers. And exactly what did the Europeans have to say when Hitler was stomping all over Europe?

The answer: Heil Hitler!

What was wrong before is still wrong, what was right before, is still right. There is a war going on, maybe the Europeans have not noticed, been to Madrid lately?

[blackbart.223]

"Where is the "world condemnation" when homocide bombers kill innocent Israelis?"

Good point.

[yonif]

Peres supported it.

[yonif]

Time after time again, the world continues to prove that its fighting a war on "NON-JEW/NON-ISRAELI MURDERING" terrorism.

In the end, after great death, destruction, and terrorism, they will be crawling back to Israel for help and expertise in fighting this militant Islamic scourge of the earth. Israel should just continue to do what they do to stay alive with enemies all around her. Let the world continue to take its the "righteous" stand.

[blackbart.223]

"Javier Solana, foreign policy chief of the European Union (EU), indicated that the killing was unlawful and "not conducive to lowering tension."

But it is conducive to ridding the world of another murdering bastard.

[blackbart.223]

"Israel should just continue to do what they do to stay alive with enemies all around her."

Isreal has proven that it is possible to rub these kill crazy assholes out. The rest of the world should pay attention.

[PhilDragoo]

"I actually voted for the Rontissi assassination. . .before I voted against it."

[blackbart.223]

Ain't that the truth.

[isthisnickcool]

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat said resistance is the only way.

The murdering Egyptian Arafat has been breathing way too many years.

[flaglady47]

Was late in getting out of bed today (started reading a book, and couldn't put it down, so read until 4:00 in the morning). Hate when I get hooked like that and can't put a book down. Louses up my biological clock. However, I woke up, flipped on the TV, and lo and behold Rantisi had got his. Made my day. I've been exceptionally bright and cheery for hours now. Hope next week, and the week after, and the week after that, I wake up to yet another Hamas leader having been taken out. Go Ariel! Whatta guy!

[Getsmart64]

I read most of the article and most of the responses seem to me to be crocodile tears....even Iran's response sounded like pure rhetoric.....this will not blow up into some major event....Hamas will announce the next leader...and then in a month or two...he'll be killed....this will prove to the world that the other Arabs could really care less about the Pali's....

[Fenris6]

Hamas is a terrorist cell - why is the world condemning Isreal?

[Adam36]

Israel was condemmed by the world for bombing Iraq's nuclear facility in 1981. They were condemmed by the U.N for arrested Adolf Eichman in 1960. Alot of people forget this. But when Israel kidnapped Eichman from Argentina in 1960, the U.N had an emergency meeting and condemmed Israel. They actually wanted Israel to return Eichman to Argentina. They said it was against international law to kidnap someone. What stupid dopes.
U.N stands for unnecessary nonsense.

[blackbart.223]

"However, I woke up, flipped on the TV, and lo and behold Rantisi had got his. Made my day."

I hope Arafat is next in line.

[ladyinred]

Yes, that's right, don't kill terrorists Israel, let them kill your innocent citizens instead. It saves the world from having another Hitler when hundreds of suicide bombers kill dozens at a time.

I applaud Israel for doing what the rest of the world hasn't got the guts to do. I am appalled by the Bush/Christian/Jewish hatred in the world exhibited by those who renounce defending oneself from monsters.

[musical_airman]

Ahhh....EU......how soon we forget, no? I seem to remember something about "those who forget their history are condemned to repeat it". Lay off the pacifism. It didn't work for Neville Chamberlain, and it won't work now.

[blackbart.223]

"Israel was condemmed by the world for bombing Iraq's nuclear facility in 1981."

And I thank God they did it.

[Getsmart64]

They'll prob hit Iran's facility here in a bit....

[patton]

"Italy, like the whole of the European Union, has always condemned the
practice of targeted assassinations, which contribute to furthering the spiral of
hatred and violence," Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said.