TEL AVIV — Hamas intends to adopt the Hizbullah model in the
Palestinian war against Israel.
Officials said the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority would facilitate
intensified missile attacks as well as infiltration of Israel. They said
Hamas has been impressed by the Hizbullah war in Lebanon.
"The accent will be on better equipment and training," an official said.
"We expect to see anti-tank missiles, roadside bombs and greater use of
tunnels to infiltrate Israel."
Officials said Hamas has been smuggling a range of rockets into Israel.
They said they included the Soviet-origin BM-21 Grad.
"They are smuggling Katyushas and Grad missiles into the Gaza Strip,"
Knesset member Avigdor Lieberman said. "The southern Lebanon scenario must
be prevented from being repeated in southern Israel."
Lieberman, head of Israel's Yisrael Beiteinu Party, said neither the
government nor the military has briefed the Knesset of Hamas war plans. He
said websites found on the Internet contained more detailed information than
that presented to parliamentary committees.
Over the last year, Hamas has developed missiles that could strike
Ashkelon and beyond. Officials said Hamas's priority was to launch serial
production of a Grad variant with a range of about 30 kilometers.
