The Jerusalem Post’s report on the successful Israeli attack on the leader of Hamas is “Sheik Ahmed Yassin killed in airstrike” by Margot Dudkevitch.
Despite the tenor of newspaper reports to the contrary, it’s difficult to discern how the operation has spawned any change in the goals of Hamas and its followers. As a result of the operation Hamas now vows “to wage war, war, war on the sons of Zion.” Before the attack did they only vow to wage “war, war” on the sons of Zion?
In a 1998 interview with Dudkevitch, Yassin helpfully explained how peace could be achieved: “Peace, he said, could only be achieved once all land is returned to the Palestinian people and an independent state called Palestine is established with Jerusalem as its capital.”
The attack does appear to have had an impact on the president of Arafatistan. Toward the end of the article Dudkevitch reports:
Earlier Monday, about 2,000 demonstrators gathered outside Arafat’s headquarters, screaming for revenge and demanding to speak to the Palestinian leader. Arafat remained inside, apparently fearing he too might be targeted by Israel.
“He is like a man who was hit on the head because they killed Yassin and now they could kill him,” said an aide to Arafat, speaking on condition of anonymity. “He feels his turn is next and he is sad and worried.”
In one companion article, the Post covers the operations threatened by Hamas in revenge, and in another the Post covers the Israeli Defense Ministry’s planned war on Hamas and Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.
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