World Tribune.com
airplane

Israel assassinates Islamic militant

Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Monday, April 2, 2001

GAZA — Israel has assassinated a leading Islamic militant as part of what Palestinians term a new policy by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to end the more than six-month-old mini-war in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The militant assassinated on Monday was identified as Mohammed Abdul Al. Palestinian sources said an Israeli helicopter fired three missiles toward his car in Rafah near the Egyptian border.

Abdul Al was identified as a fugitive and a leading activist in the Iranian-backed Islamic Jihad organization. The group has been held responsible for several bombings in Israel over the past month in operations coordinated with the Palestinian Authority. He was believed responsible for attacks on Israeli civilians.

Earlier, an Israeli soldier, Sgt. Yaakov Krenchel, was killed in a Palestinian shooting attack near the West Bank city of Nablus.

The Palestinian Authority held a major military exercise on Saturday against an expected invasion by Israel of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Palestinians sources said the exercise was held both in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The exercise included defense of major roads as well as a response by commandos to an Israeli invasion. On Friday, the ruling Fatah movement also staged military maneuvers.

PA officials said Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has launched what they term a 100-day plan to end the current mini-war with Israel. They said this would include the capture of strategic locations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip as well as the assassination of key Palestinian figures.

Over the weekend, Israeli and Palestinians clashed in some of the heaviest fighting in the more than six-month-old mini-war. At least seven Palestinians were killed.

On late Saturday, Palestinians again fired toward the southern Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo. Other clashes were reported in Bethlehem, Hebron, Jenin, Jericho Nablus and in several areas of the Gaza Strip. This as PA Chairman Yasser Arafat convened his Cabinet and the PLO leadership to discuss the Israeli invasion plans.

Israel has rejected a PA offer to renew negotiations based on a pledge by Sharon to withdraw from further territory in the West Bank. Sharon aides said the Israeli prime minister insists on the end of the mini-war before negotiations are resumed.

Monday, April 2, 2001

Geostrategy-Direct

Return to World Tribune.com's Front Cover
Your window on the world

Contact World Tribune.com at world@worldtribune.com