From Israel: Arlene Kushner, February 21, 2006

From Israel
Arlene Kushner
akushner@netvision.net.il

February 21, 2006

Were that I had more positive things to report...

[] A Fatah-Tanzim terrorist cell in Bethlehem had planned to fire mortars into Jerusalem: the Shin Bet yesterday found a 60 mm. mortar launcher (stolen from an Israeli base) with eight shells, aimed at the Gilo neighborhood in the south of Jerusalem. The terrorists were stopped on the very day they had planned to launch the mortars.

The cell worked out of Palestinian Authority buildings in Bethlehem. Anyone who is inclined to think of the "old" PA and Fatah as moderate should remember this.

According to the Jerusalem Post, members of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee said that plans were uncovered, as well, for attacks into central Jerusalem.

"As far as we know, this is the first time high-trajectory weapons aimed at Jerusalem have been located," said Yuval Diskin, Shin Bet chief.

Another Shin Bet official said that "The disengagement from Gaza has shifted the terrorist groups focus to the West Bank [note: precisely as predicted]. They have created a new terroist infrastructure in the West Bank and are constantly trying to obtain new weapons to use against Israel.

[] The IDF began an operation in Nablus in the small hours of Sunday morning, in response to the increased number of warnings of terrorist attacks emenating from the area. This morning, the IDF found an explosives factory, and neutralized the bombs present. There were 40-50 kilograms (88 - 110 pounds) of explosives plus equipment for preparing devices.

[] At a conference in Jerusalem today, sponsored by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, former Chief of Staff Moshe Yaalon (who was fired because of his forthright opinions) said that there was no question about the fact that the "disengagement" strengthened Hamas. Israel's unilateral withdrawal from Gaza, he said, had a huge impact on Palestinian public opinion so that Hamas was credited with forcing Israel to withdraw.

His comments on the impact of the change in the PA (emphasis added) should be noted by everyone:

“Hamas’ victory poses a challenge to those interested in stability in the world and the Middle East, including Israel, the United States, Arabs and Palestinians who favor western democratic values to extremist Islam.
"In Hamas’ victory speech, leader Khaled Mashaal expressed the line of thought and the spirit pervading al-Qaeda, global Jihad, the Islamic movement and the Iranian regime – all of which direct their struggle against the West and its culture. Israel is the first target for occupation and destruction on the way to conquering the west and establishing a Muslim regime across the world.”
Regrettably there are many who still do not understand that we in Israel are the canary in the mine, and that what happens here has direct implications for the Western world. Yaalon makes this clear. He added that Hamas’s victory will strengthen the motivation of Islamic groups in western-friendly Arab countries like Egypt and Jordan to depose the secular regimes.
[] Khaled Masha'al, head of Hamas, has been in Iran, seeking financial support, these last couple of days. There he told the Iranian foreign minister that, "The Ayatollah's regime will have a major role in Palestine."
In a speech he then declared, "Our joining the government does not mean we are abandonning the resistance. There is no such thing as liberation without resistance." (Ynet citing an Iranian news source)
In a meeting with the Ayatollah and President Achmadinejad he said, ""negotiations with Israel are a waste of time until Israeli leaders decide to leave the Palestinian territories." But this is a contradictory statement: According to Hamas as long as we are here at all we are on Palestinian territory; were we to leave all Palestinian territory, we wouldn't be here to hold negotiations. (Orly Halpern of The Jerusalem Post and AP)
[] Ismail Haniyah has now been formally asked by Abbas to form a new PA government. Hamas and Fatah are beginning to talk about a coalition government, but negotiations regarding this have been held up, however, as Israel has closed the Gaza crossings. Islamic Jihad has ruled out entering the new government but the PFLP has expressed definite interest.
In the interim, while the cabinet has not yet been formed, Abbas is attempting to pre-empt Hamas by making certain decisions. Key appointments are the commander of crossing points and borders, and the commander of security. "If Hamas thinks that we're going to give them control over the security forces, they are mistaken," said a PA official. Control of the security forces is power, plain and simple.