GAZA CITY Ñ The Islamic Hamas organization has appealed to
Muslims around the world for help.
Hamas has urged Muslims to donate money to finance
a holy war against Israel, leading Israeli security sources to speculate that U.S. efforts to stop the funding of terrorist organizations is succeeding.
The movement issued the call on its web site, pledging that those who donated would have
their sins atoned and be assured of a place in heaven, Middle East Newsline reported.
The sources said Saudi Arabia might have reduced or halted its funds over the last few months
under pressure from the Bush administration.
But Israeli intelligence sources disagreed, saying there is no evidence the Saudis have significantly reduced funding to Hamas.
Last week, Saudi foreign policy advisor Adel Al Jubeir said Saudi
Arabia does not support the transfer of funds to Islamic insurgency groups
in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. He said the kingdom has tried since 1992 to
halt aid to Islamic insurgency attacks against Israel.
"On the issue of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, Saudi Arabia's position as a
government has been very clear: We have tried since for the last 10 years to
cut off funding to Hamas," Al Jubeir said. "But that does not mean cutting
off funding to Palestinians in the territories. Building hospitals, building
roads, building schools, buying pharmaceuticals, buying food, yes; but to
have money go towards violence is something that we have tried to work on
and will continue to work on."
But Israeli intelligence sources said Saudi Arabia has not stopped or
significantly reduced funding to Hamas. They said Saudi foundations continue
to relay money to the families of suicide bombers linked to Hamas.
"We don't have any indication that U.S. pressure on Saudi Arabia has led
to any reduction of aid to Hamas," a senior intelligence source said.
Hamas has also urged its supporters to abduct Israeli soldiers in an
attempt to win the release of those members being held by Israel.
The
movement's Izzedin Kassam military wing, in a statement on its website, termed
abductions "the best weapon of deterrence" against Israel. Hamas has
published and distributed an instruction manual on kidnapping soldiers.
