-- various other methods, including proxy forces to do Israeli killing.
General Ariel Sharon commanded an "anti-terror" detachment in the early 1970s that targeted Palestinian resistance fighters in Gaza. Through undercover operations, the unit killed 104 Palestinians and arrested 742 others.
After Israeli athletes were killed at the 1972 Munich Olympics, Prime Minister Golda Meir and Defense Minister Moshe Dayan established "Committee X" that used Mossad operatives to find the kill the perpetrators. Thirteen deaths resulted, including a Moroccan busboy in Norway by mistake.
Throughout the 1970s, Palestinians in the Territories were targeted, especially its leaders, and in 1982 Israelis nearly killed Yasir Arafat with car bombs, air attacks and at least once when a sniper had him targeted but got no orders to shoot. His second in command, Abu Jihad (Khalil el-Wazir), was less fortunate. He was key to the first Intifada's success, an irreplaceable leader, and had to be eliminated. Ehud Barak reportedly got the assignment and headed a commando operation that killed him.
Executions continued in the 1990s, including three major ones with mixed success. One killed Islamic Jihad leader, Fathi Shikaki, in Malta in 1995. Another eliminated Yahya Ayyash, a Hamas Izzaddin al-Qassam Brigades member who was known as "the Engineer" for his bomb-making skills. One embarrassing attempt failed. It targeted Hamas' Amman, Jordan political bureau chief, Khaled Meshal. Two Mossad agents poisoned him but were captured by Jordanian authorities before they could flee. To secure their release, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to provide the poison's antidote and release Hamas' founder, Sheik Ahmed Yassin, from an Israeli prison.
With the outbreak of the second Intifada, killings escalated markedly. Below are examples, including several high-ranking Palestinians:
-- Abu Ali Mustafa - head of the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP),
-- Mustafa Zibri - the PFLP's Secretary-General,
-- Raed al-Karmi - a Lebanese Tanzim movement leader, and
-- many mid-level resistance fighters from various Palestinian groups opposing the occupation.
I am a 72 year old, retired, progressive small businessman concerned about all the major national and world issues, committed to speak out and write about them.
"Hamas has proposed a cease-fire many times and has been clear that it would have to include a cessation of all hostilities: Hamas would cease and impose a halt to all rockets and mortar shells from Gaza provided Israel would end its "targeted liquidations", military incursions and its siege of Gaza...if Israel’s goal is to end rocket attacks from Gaza, the most logical and beneficial step it could take would be to respond positively to Hamas’ repeated cease-fire proposals for a complete end to rocket fire on Israel, most recently, on February 23rd, when Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said that Hamas will consider any initiative that will bring about a ceasefire. Hamas claims it has secured the agreement of all factions to halt rocket fire and promised to impose the cease-fire provided that Israel reciprocates. Israel’s Prime Miniser Ehud Olmert immediately rejected the cease-fire offer, even though a growing number of Israeli politicians and security officials are calling for Israel to accept a cease-fire. Israel’s current operations are clearly about much more than securing Israeli civilians lives. Israel could easily end the rocket fire by accepting a cease-fire."-Dr. Steve Niva; Member of the Faculty, Middle East Studies, The Evergreen State College
PLEASE dear reader, Do Something and phone, email, FAX your reps and this Administration to demand a Bilateral Ceasfire and Dialogue with the 'enemy' to end the seige on Gaza which is the only way to security for Israel and hope for peace in the Middle East
How true about all you say. Hamas has bent over backwards to accommodate Israel, but, of course, Israel and Washington scorn peace and justice and that cuts to heart of problem. How can there be peace when only one side wants it and dominant media reports lies. The old blame the victim game. Israel didn't end hostilities today. It just paused before the next act of aggression and when victims defend themselves they're called "terrorists."
by
Stephen Lendman (241 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 76 comments)
on Monday, March 3, 2008 at 8:28:45 AM
We living Orwell's nightmare-government and corporate contolled media are in bed together but we are also living in a revolutionary time and our weapons are words disseminated on the world wide web.
Muckrakers like you give me hope, and we the people are better than our current leadership, but as Edward R. Murrow warned 50 odd years ago, as TV went in the direction of mindless entertainment and neglected programs of enlightenment we would end up with a dumbed down republic.
Dissent is what keeps democracies healthy, and in a vibrant democracy the politicians are afraid of the people and the citizenry is well informed and active!
In totalitarian regimes the people are afraid of the government and are kept so busy by Big Brother [Govt. + Media] with mindless entertainment and must work many hours just to keep food on the table, there is no time or energy to THINK DEEPLY, question and dissent.
Keep on fighting the good fight, for "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not. ... Genius will not. ... Education will not. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent."- Calvin Coolidge
"Observe good faith and justice towards all nations; cultivate peace and harmony with all...and passionate attachments for others, should be excluded; and that, in place of them, just and amicable feelings towards all should be cultivated. The nation which indulges towards another a habitual hatred or a habitual fondness is in some degree a slave...a passionate attachment of one nation for another produces a variety of evils." George Washington's Farewell Address - 1796
In solidarity "we have it in our power to begin the world again."-Tom Paine
by
Eileen Fleming (140 articles, 48 quicklinks, 264 diaries, 584 comments)
on Monday, March 3, 2008 at 10:11:38 AM
What if..Hama takes out its genocidal charter provision against Israel? What if .. after the withdrawal from Gaza, Hamas would have enterted into negotiations for peaceful co-existence instead of raids and rockets into Israel. What if ..Hamas would have consulted Israel on the industries within Gaza instead of destroying them? What if .. Hamas would return Israeli soldiers they kidnapped? What if .. instead of smuggling lethel weapons Hamas would bring vital supplies to its people? What if .. Hamas favored peaceful co-existence in its education instead of preaching jihad and genocide? Did you two ever think of that?
by
philip rosen (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 93 comments)
on Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 9:01:53 AM
