Special to WorldTribune.com
Israel’s killing of terrorist Samir Kuntar was condemned as an “assassination” by Iran, Syria and Hamas while analysts say Russia likely allowed Israel to carry out the strike near Damascus.
“The dean of liberated detainees from Israeli prisons, brother Mujahid Samir Kuntar, was martyred along with several Syrian citizens in the strike,” Hizbullah said in a statement condemning the air strike.
The success of the Israeli strike so close to Damascus without a response from Russia signifies likely cooperation between the two nations in air operations over Syria, according to Professor Moshe Maoz from the department of Islamic and Middle Eastern studies of Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
Maoz believes “Russia will allow Israel to pursue their own interests with regards to striking out against terrorist targets in Syria – even if those targets are affiliated with Russia’s Syrian allies,” adding that “the line will likely be drawn at any attempt by Israel to actively engage in aiding the overthrow of Bashar Assad’s regime, which Russia is supporting.”
As a member of the Palestine Liberation Front at age 16, Kuntar was one of the terrorists responsible for the brutal 1979 raid from Lebanon in which he helped kidnap an Israeli family from Nahariya and killed a 4-year-old Israeli girl, Einat Haran, by striking her in the with the butt of his rifle. Three other Israelis, including her father, Danny Haran, were killed in the attack.
In 2008, Kuntar was released after 29 years in an Israeli prison in an exchange for the bodies of IDF soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser.
Reports said that Kuntar was killed because he was planning new terror attacks against Israel rather than for revenge for the 1979 attack.
“We condemn the Israeli assassination of Samir Kuntar,” Hamas posted on its Twitter account. “This is a heinous crime.”
Syrian Prime Minister Wael Halaqi equated the killing of Kuntar to “targeting the axis of resistance,” referring to Syria and its allies.
Iran called the strike on Kuntar an “assassination” that was a “violation of an independent country’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Israeli officials would not confirm the attack, but expressed satisfaction over his death.
Russia seen approving Kuntar ‘assassination’ condemned by Iran, Syria and Hamas added by World Tribune on
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