Israel continues every effort to blow up any opportunity for peace
Palestine-Israel, Military, 6/11/2003

The reason Israel has been called a terrorist state has become clear to some who support the peace efforts between the Palestinians and Israelis, as Israel, with its leader Ariel Sharon, continues to blow up every opportunity for peace, making it clear Israel has no real desire for peace, except for oppression and assassination, highliting the possibility that the only realistic solution to bring Israel to pay attention to respect international law and conventions is by bringing its leader, Ariel Sharon, to trial as a war criminal.

The leading figure in the Islamic Resistance movement, Hamas, Abdul Aziz al-Ranteisi vowed to continue struggle against the Israeli occupation until it is eliminated.

In a statement with al-Jazira satellite TV station from inside the hospital where he is treated, as he was injured in a failed assassination attempt made by an Israeli helicopter in Gaza and resulted in killing three Palestinians including a female child and wounding other 35, Ranteisi said "I assure we will continue Jihad and resistance until the last Zionist goes out." He added " Killing me will not make them feel secure ( the Israelis) in Palestine. Besides, killing all Mujahedeen will not ensure security for them. I say to Sharon and to the killers: no security for you but outside our homeland."

He said " I swear to God that not one Jew will stay in Palestine. We will fight them with all our might, vigorously. This is our land and not that of the Jews. This is our homeland. We will defend this homeland with all our forces. God is with us as well as the Arab and Islamic nation." Ranteisi, on the other hand, stressed that he is OK and he was hit in his left leg and left arm and with a slight injury in his chest.

Hamas movement threatened to revenge the assassination attempt of Ranteisi. The founder of the Hamas movement, Sheikh Ahmad Yassin, said during a demonstration to Hamas partisans that all the Israeli people have become now targeted by the Palestinian resistance, saying that " Israel does not honor no politician nor a military one. As they target all our people, all their people will be targeted."

The leading figure in the Hamas movement, Muhammad al-Zahar, threatened the Israelis. He said that the Palestinians will deal with them the same way "a politician for a politician." The Palestinian prime minister Mahmoud Abbas denounced the failed assassination attempt which targeted Ranteisi and described it as a terrorist and criminal attempt aiming at damaging steps to peace. Abu Mazin's office issued a statement in which he called on the USA to take immediate steps to halt the deterioration of conditions.

Nabil Abu Rudinah, the advisor of the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat called on the US and the international community to severe relations with Israel in retaliation to what he had described of defiance and challenge carried out by the Israeli government.

In the first Arab reaction to the incident, the foreign ministers of Egypt, Syria and Saudi Arabia condemned, following the meeting of the Arab follow up committee in Manama yesterday, the assassination attempt at Ranteisi. They called on Israel to shoulder its responsibility and to abide by the implementation of the Roadmap.

The secretary general of the Arab League Amr Moussa considered that the assassination attempt is "a violation to the Roadmap and a threat to the peace process ," noting that Israel tries to foil all attempts to establish just and comprehensive peace.

The Arab parliamentarian in the Israeli Knesset Ahmad al-Teibi asked for an urgent meeting for the Israeli Knesset to discuss the Ranteisi assassination attempt. Al-Teibi described the assassination attempt as an ugly crime that discloses the true face of the policy of lies pursued by the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon and a flagrant attempt to foil the Roadmap.

On the Israeli side, the Israeli minister of justice Youssef Tomy Labeid considered that any attempt to liquidate what he called the terrorist leaders is justified.

An Israeli Apache plane raised yesterday the downtown of Gaza and targeted a car carrying Ranteisi and shelled the surrounding area by seven missiles, according to eye witnesses, and this resulted in killing one passerby Palestinian woman and her daughter, two escorts for Ranteisi and wounding 35 including 7 in critical health conditions.

Ranteisi was wounded in the attack and underwent surgery on his leg while his son Ahmad was slightly wounded.

Previous Stories:
  Israel reoves settlements, destroys palestinian homes; Hamas considers dialogue   (6/10/2003)
  Thousands of Israeli settlers demonstrate in Jerusalem: dismantling settlements is a surrender to terrorism   (6/5/2003)
  Red Cross President urges Israel to abide by 4th Geneva Convention   (10/12/2002)
  After their distribution on seven European states; Picqui: the exiled Palestinian are not terrorists   (5/23/2002)
  Amnesty International: reprisals against persons and property are prohibited by 4th Geneva Convention   (5/11/2002)
  European leader: Israel is a terrorist state   (4/13/2002)
  'Effective' UN resolution for immediate Israel withdrawal, honoring Geneva convention, or face sanctions   (4/10/2002)
  World Writers' Association, Israel commits Nazi crimes   (4/6/2002)
  World intellectuals condemn Israeli occupation   (3/26/2002)
  Geneva Convention applies to Palestinian territories, top UN rights official says   (12/7/2001)
  Belgian supreme prosecution indicates Sharon for committing war crimes   (10/4/2001)
  UN General Assembly votes to hold Geneva Convention conference   (2/10/1999)

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