Truce? What truce? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

popo · 07-08-2003, 06:01 AM

Let's see if there's any commitment to arresting (AND ACTUALLY KEEPING IN JAIL) members of this Islamic Jihad cell.

http://asia.reuters.com/newsArticle....toryID=3052868

Islamist Cells Claims Israel Attack, Rocking Truce
Tue July 8, 2003 07:04 AM ET

By Wael al-Ahmad
JENIN, West Bank (Reuters) - An Islamic militant cell claimed responsibility on Tuesday for a suicide bombing that killed a woman in Israel, violating a 10-day-old cease-fire and casting a pall over a new U.S.-backed peace process.

A further setback came when Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas canceled a meeting on peace steps with Israeli counterpart Ariel Sharon set for Wednesday, citing internal opposition to his negotiating strategy with Israel.

The blast on Monday night that killed a 65-year-old woman and leveled her home in central Israel was the first suicide bombing since leading Palestinian factions announced a halt to violence in keeping with the new "road map" peace plan.

A West Bank-based cell of the Islamic Jihad militant group said it sent the bomber in protest at Israel's reluctance to free prisoners. But Islamic Jihad's Gaza-based leadership said it was committed to the truce and knew nothing of the claim.

The attack threatened progress on the road map made last week when, after the truce announcement, Israel pulled back forces in Gaza and from the West Bank town of Bethlehem.

Ra'anan Gissin, Sharon's spokesman, said the latest suicide bombing showed the cease-fire was "not worth the paper it was written on." He urged Abbas to dismantle militant groups as stipulated by the road map to a Palestinian state by 2005.

"If there is no cessation of terror and the dismantling of the terror framework, then we'll do it," said Gissin. Israel has so far suspended "track-and-kill" operations against militants in response to the three-month cease-fire declaration.

Israeli police spokesman Gil Kleiman said an inquiry determined the explosion in the woman's home in the town of Yabetz north of Tel Aviv was a suicide bombing, after initial reports that a gas leak caused the blast.

"What we found conclusively now is that we are dealing with a terror attack," Kleiman said. "Fragments of bombs were found on the scene." He said a badly disfigured body of a man was found on the scene that appeared to have been the bomber.

A cell of Islamic Jihad based in the West Bank city of Jenin claimed responsibility in a statement faxed to Reuters. But its political leadership rejected the statement.

"The Islamic Jihad reiterates its commitment to the truce it has announced," said top Islamic Jihad spokesman Mohammed al-Hindi in Gaza City.

(Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi, Mohammed Assadi and Wafa Amr)

The_Dude · 07-08-2003, 07:04 AM

that's the sad part, one person could break this fragile truce

07-08-2003, 06:01 AM	#1 (permalink)
popo Psycho	Truce? What truce? Let's see if there's any commitment to arresting (AND ACTUALLY KEEPING IN JAIL) members of this Islamic Jihad cell. http://asia.reuters.com/newsArticle....toryID=3052868 Islamist Cells Claims Israel Attack, Rocking Truce Tue July 8, 2003 07:04 AM ET By Wael al-Ahmad JENIN, West Bank (Reuters) - An Islamic militant cell claimed responsibility on Tuesday for a suicide bombing that killed a woman in Israel, violating a 10-day-old cease-fire and casting a pall over a new U.S.-backed peace process. A further setback came when Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas canceled a meeting on peace steps with Israeli counterpart Ariel Sharon set for Wednesday, citing internal opposition to his negotiating strategy with Israel. The blast on Monday night that killed a 65-year-old woman and leveled her home in central Israel was the first suicide bombing since leading Palestinian factions announced a halt to violence in keeping with the new "road map" peace plan. A West Bank-based cell of the Islamic Jihad militant group said it sent the bomber in protest at Israel's reluctance to free prisoners. But Islamic Jihad's Gaza-based leadership said it was committed to the truce and knew nothing of the claim. The attack threatened progress on the road map made last week when, after the truce announcement, Israel pulled back forces in Gaza and from the West Bank town of Bethlehem. Ra'anan Gissin, Sharon's spokesman, said the latest suicide bombing showed the cease-fire was "not worth the paper it was written on." He urged Abbas to dismantle militant groups as stipulated by the road map to a Palestinian state by 2005. "If there is no cessation of terror and the dismantling of the terror framework, then we'll do it," said Gissin. Israel has so far suspended "track-and-kill" operations against militants in response to the three-month cease-fire declaration. Israeli police spokesman Gil Kleiman said an inquiry determined the explosion in the woman's home in the town of Yabetz north of Tel Aviv was a suicide bombing, after initial reports that a gas leak caused the blast. "What we found conclusively now is that we are dealing with a terror attack," Kleiman said. "Fragments of bombs were found on the scene." He said a badly disfigured body of a man was found on the scene that appeared to have been the bomber. A cell of Islamic Jihad based in the West Bank city of Jenin claimed responsibility in a statement faxed to Reuters. But its political leadership rejected the statement. "The Islamic Jihad reiterates its commitment to the truce it has announced," said top Islamic Jihad spokesman Mohammed al-Hindi in Gaza City. (Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi, Mohammed Assadi and Wafa Amr)

07-08-2003, 07:04 AM	#2 (permalink)
The_Dude The GrandDaddy of them all! Location: Austin, TX	that's the sad part, one person could break this fragile truce __________________ "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." - Darrel K Royal