RAMALLAH — Fatah has quietly helped facilitate the surrender of
several Palestinian insurgents to Israel.
Leaders of Fatah's Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades have been in contact with
Israel's military to ensure that fugitives would not be killed in
counter-insurgency operations. Israeli sources said Al Aqsa's intervention
focused on the northern West Bank.
On Thursday, Al Aqsa leader Zakaria Zbeidi arranged for the surrender of
a leading Islamic Jihad insurgent in Jenin. Iyad Mahmad Abu Al Roub was said
to have been responsible for the suicide bombing in Hadera in October 2005,
in which six Israeli civilians were killed.
Officials said Israeli troops surrounded a building where Al Roub was
hiding. He refused to surrender, and the military brought a bulldozer to
demolish the building.
At that point, Zbeidi called the Israeli military spokesman's office and
offered to arrange for Al Roub's surrender. Officials said Zbeidi, who spoke
in Hebrew, told an officer on duty that Al Roub and his accomplices were
prepared to give themselves up.
"Move the bulldozers," Zbeidi was quoted as saying. "The fugitives are
willing to surender.
After a 16-hour siege, Al Roub and two other Jihad operatives left the
building and were arrested by Israeli officers. Later, Zbeidi, saying he
first sought help from the International Committee of the Red Cross,
confirmed that he called the Israeli military.
In November 2003, Al Roub was appointed deputy head of Islamic Jihad in
Jenin. He was said to have served Jihad's leader in Tulkarm, Louay Saadi,
killed on Oct. 24.
An Israeli military statement said Al Roub cooperated with senior Jihad
leaders around Jenin. He also maintained contact with Jihad headquarters in
Syria, which financed his activities.
After Al Roub surrendered, Israeli troops found a Jihad weapons
laboratory south of Jenin. The laboratory was said to have produced
explosives for a series of suicide attacks in Israel.
Officials said Zbeidi, Al Aqsa chief, has agreed to cooperate with
Israel in improving security in the Jenin area. In return, the military has
ended efforts to capture Zbeidi, said to have been responsible for the death
of nearly 50 Israelis during the five-year war with the Palestinians.
In 2005, Zbeidi was appointed a colonel in PA security forces. Officials
said Zbeidi does not actually serve in any PA security agency.
