GAZA CITY ø The ruling Fatah movement has displayed what it calls
its latest and greatest surface-to-surface missile.
The missile has been named "Yasser Arafat," after the late leader of
Fatah and the Palestinian Authority and the 1994 co-winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Fatah spokesmen said "Al Yasser" contains a greater range and payload
than any other Palestinian missile. But they did not elaborate.
"Al Yasser rockets show our love and admiration for our historical
leader and symbol of our fight against occupation," Abu Qusai, a leader of
Fatah's Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, said.
Arafat was named the recipient of the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize along with Israel's Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.
Fatah has claimed the development and production of several rockets and
missiles over the last two years. But Israeli intelligence sources said
most of the projectiles were copies of Hamas-origin missiles and weapons.
"The resistance factions have been competing to respond to crimes by the
occupation through developing their tactics including rockets," Hamas
spokesman Mushir Al Masri said.