another bastard bites the dust
Jun. 22, 2003 Sharon threatens further hits against Hamas By THE JERUSALEM POST INTERNET STAFF
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon opened Sunday's cabinet meeting with praise for security forces for what he called an "essential operation," in which Hamas attack mastermind Abdullah Kawasmeh was killed while resisting arrest in Hebron on Satur*day evening.
Sharon further told ministers that Israel would continue to carry out such operations unless the Palestinian Authority implements a pledge to fight terrorism, Israel Radio reports.
He said that operation against Kawasmeh was designed to prevent further terror attacks on Israelis.
"I would like to thank the security establishment on this most successful and important operation carried out last night in Hebron," Sharon said. "I am referring to an essential operation designed to provide security to the citizens of Israel."
Israeli officials maintains that Kawasmeh drew a gun while being arrested by a special police unit, but Palestinians criticized the attack as a continuation of Israel's targeted killing policy.
Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo said the killing was aimed at disrupting the Palestinian Authority's talks with Hamas in order to derail the 'road map'.
The US has agreed for Israel to target "ticking bombs", those terrorists about to embark on attacks, but has been ambivalent about Israel's recent policy of widening the definition to include organizers of the attacks.
Security officials attempted to skirt the issue by describing Kawasmeh as the "father of all ticking bombs". Although not a suicide bomber himself, he was suspected of organizing four terror attacks that have killed 52 Israelis, including a June 11 bus bombing in Jerusalem in which 17 people were killed.
Egypt and the European Union have condemned the killing, the radio said.
Hamas spokesman Abdel Aziz Rantisi, whom Israel missed in a targeted killing operation earlier in the month, said Kawasmeh's death "will not go unpunished."
