Re: Yassin assassination

[Yoshie Furuhashi <furuhashi.1@xxxxxxx>]

> Marvin Gandall wrote:
> > Though widely decried as stupid...
>
> why is this assassination considered stupid? isn't it obvious
> israeli strategy to incite hamas into becoming the primary
> opposition, thus sidelining more moderate elements with whom they
> (israel) may be forced to negotiate with by their patrons (the US)?
>
> --ravi

Or incite Hamas to reckless retaliation against Americans, thus
giving Washington an excuse to to give even more support to Israel in
its war on Palestinians?

*****    In a dramatic change from its longstanding policy of not
targeting the United States, Hamas issued an ominous statement
claiming the U.S. gave its "consent" to Yassin's killing and saying
the "terrorist American administration . . . must take responsibility
for this crime."

"All the Muslims of the world will be honored to join in retaliation
for this crime," the Hamas statement said.

A shadowy al Qaeda-linked group that claimed credit for the recent
Madrid terror train bombings quickly heeded Hamas' call for revenge
and vowed Muslims would strike "the tyrant of the age, America, and
its allies," according to statement from the Abu Hafs al-Masri
Brigades on an Islamic Web site.

American intelligence officials said they were concerned about the
new statements from Hamas because they signal the group's previous
hands-off posture toward the United States has now changed. "Anytime
threats are made against the United States, we take them seriously,"
the U.S. official said, adding that American intelligence was closely
watching the situation with Hamas.

(Uri Dan and Philip Messing, "Make America Pay,"
<http://www.nypost.com/news/worldnews/21609.htm>   *****
--
Yoshie

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