Hamas Vows to Continue Attacks on Israel

Yahoo/ AP ^ | 8/20/2005 | Ibrahim Barzak,

[ex-Texan]

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - In a challenge to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, dozens of masked Hamas gunmen took over Gaza City's central square on Saturday and announced they would not stop attacks on Israel, despite Israel's ongoing withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

The show of force by Hamas came just as Abbas announced Jan. 25 as the date for legislative election, a move that could boost his international credibility and encourage Hamas to hold its fire during the pullout.

Abbas, who is under intense international pressure to disarm militant groups, has been urging them not to flaunt their weapons in public. However, even the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, a group with ties to Abbas' ruling Fatah movement, has largely ignored his appeal.

On Saturday, several dozen Hamas gunmen took over Gaza's central square and closed all entrances to it. Police cruisers approached but did not interfere as the gunmen announced they would not lay down their arms.

"This retreat does not mean the end of our battle, but it is the beginning," said a spokesman for the Hamas military wing, who identified himself only by his nom-de-geurre, Abu Obaideh.

"Our battle with the (Israeli) enemy is long and will continue," Abu Obaideh said, addressing a group of some 40 armed and masked Hamas members who had gathered in a square outside the Palestinian Parliament building.

Israel is in the midst of evacuating 21 Gaza Strip settlements and four in the West Bank. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said the move is necessary to boost Israel's security.

But Palestinians have tried to portray the move as a victory for them.

On Friday Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said Israel was quitting Gaza because of Palestinian "sacrifices" and "patience," and he promised the withdrawal would lead to further pullouts from the West Bank and Jerusalem.

Hamas, which has carried out dozens of attacks and suicide bombings against Israeli targets during the more than four years of violence, said it would continue the armed struggle until these goals are achieved.

The Palestinians claim all of Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem for a future state.

Hamas had agreed to halt attacks against Israelis in the run up to the withdrawal. Israeli and Palestinian violence has also dropped since a February cease fire was declared.

[ex-Texan]

Abbas has no real power. Hamas enjoys the support of the majority of Palestinians. Therefore, Abbas will be taking orders from Hamas. Read More? Time for Bibbi Netanyahu to take control in Israel again. I give the Palis until February to reveal the true intentions. Bibbi will run them out of Gaza if he is given a free hand. 'Nuff said.

[evad]

ahhhhh...you see, the plan IS working ;)

[ZinGirl]

Hamas Vows to Continue Attacks on Israel

I am shocked....shocked, I tell you. < /sarcasm >

[kittymyrib]

But I thought Tony Blair's 18 billion dollar bribe with G8 funds and the US's browbeating of Israel to give up Gaza would bring peace to the Middle East. I am SHOCKED that Hamas thinks that with this victory under their belt they will be able to bomb their way into still more territory until all Jews are dragged out of their homes and synagogs.

[AliVeritas]

How come everyone else in the world knew it would happen and it seems Sharon didn't. I think they were banking on this...that's the only way it makes sense.

Sharon was always pro-settlement, no quid-pro quo from the Palestinians, no vote from the people (just Knesset), and still no guarantee of a state anyway.

You're right about Bibi.

[tazman3]

PING

[Jaysun]

Kill them. Gather their leaders and slit their throats. Next time they hit the streets to protest for the television cameras, Israel needs to send some birds over to sh*t all over them. Animals.

[sargunner]

Yeah. Who could have seen this coming?? /sarc

[hershey]

Charles Krauthammer insists the line in the sand for Israel is Gaza, and that giving up the West Bank, etc., is not on. Rice demands it, so we'll see what happens.

[Manic_Episode]

APPEASEMENT WORKS!(for terrorists)

Palis true goal is to wipe Israel off the face of the earth and no amount of appeasement or cooperation will change that.

This is a unsolvable problem that will drag the entire world down along with it until Christ's return.

[sure_fine]

damn those land grabbing Israeli's

[Edit35]

Kill them.

One would think Israel would have armed unmanned drones flying overhead much of the time.

They are inexpensive and deadly as hell. One well placed hellfire missile (or whatever) could have taken out those Hamas, and they wouldn't even have had time to dress for the 72 virgins.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

If Sharon has some strategery, I'm at a loss to figure out what it is...

[roaddog727]

Yeh, we'll stop our terror attacks on Israel...

Yeh......

NOT!

The only thing these scumbags understand is overwhelming, directed violence.

The fight has to be taken to them in no uncertain terms. They must be obliterated.

[Jaysun]

One would think Israel would have armed unmanned drones flying overhead much of the time.

They are inexpensive and deadly as hell. One well placed hellfire missile (or whatever) could have taken out those Hamas, and they wouldn't even have had time to dress for the 72 virgins.

They'd already be more than halfway through their 72 virgins if it were anyone else. Israel's restraint is astounding.

[kb2614]

"This retreat does not mean the end of our battle, but it is the beginning,"

B,,bu,,but I thought they would stop fighting if only those awful, awful JOOOOOOOOOSS left Gaza???
sarcasm off

Gee, like this wasn't predictable.

[Jimmy Valentine]

That is exactly what the Israelis ought to be getting geared up to do. If I were the premier, I would tell all of the Palestinians to get out of town as in all of Israel 36 hours after the next Hamas attack.

You cannot appease terrorists/sub-humans.

Regards,

[varyouga]

But all the LIBS told me the Palis would lay down their arms, sing kumbaya and the pullout wouldn't be seen as a terrorist victory.

[sure_fine]

"If Sharon has some strategery, I'm at a loss to figure out what it is..."

I am sure its just me, but I would hope his thinking is to once all his people are out, to hell with little scrimmages and blow the place up

[Issaquahking]

The withdrawal is the stupidest thing to date. The only thing it could possibly do is allow Israel to flatten the place in the future without killing any of there own. The ragheads have wanted to push Jewish peoples into the sea for the last two thousand years. Why are we doing the will of the ragheads and "going along to get along"? World War III will be about removing TROP from the planet.