Note: The translations of articles from the Hebrew press are prepared by the Government Press Office as a service to foreign journalists in Israel. They express the views of the authors.
OPERATION WITH IRANIAN BACKING
(Commentary by Danny Rubinstein, "Ha'aretz", Nov 8, 1998, p.A.4)
Suleiman Dahayneh, aged 23, disabled by a blow to his leg in a clash
during the Intifada, from the village of Silat al-Hartiyah north-west of
Jenin, and Yusuf Zughayar, aged 22 from the village of Anta north of
Jerusalem, were known Islamic Jihad activists. A few months ago they were
freed from an Israeli jail after serving three and a half year sentences,
and Suleiman married the sister of Yusuf.
The Islamic Jihad movement is smaller than the Hamas and different from
it. It does not involve itself in social and educational activities as
the Hamas does -- that is, it has no education, health or benefit systems,
and it has no clear socio-political stance. It has one aim: the carrying
out of terrorist attacks against Israel. Its political leadership
therefore consists of only a very small number of people. At its head in
the territories today stand Sheikh Abdallah Shami and Nafaz Azzam, both
from Gaza.
The most notable act of terrorism committed by the Islamic Jihad in the
last few years was the suicide bombing at Beit Lid. The organization has
mostly carried out other attacks in Gaza. There has recently been a
cessation in Jihad attacks, and it appears to have been against this
background that Arafat in the last few months again permitted the
publication of the movement's newspaper "Al-Istiqlal," (Independence),
which is published in Gaza.
The Islamic Jihad movement has a clear and open connection to the regime
in Iran. The movement's founder, Dr. Fathi Shkaki, a deportee from Gaza
who operated in Lebanon and was murdered in Malta in October 1995, created
this connection. The killing was almost certainly carried out by agents of
the Israeli Mossad. Shkaki's place was taken by Sheikh Ramadan Shallah,
who lives permanently in Damascus.
The Iranian connection explains the timong of the attack two days ago. The
spiritual leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, launched an
unprecedented attack against the Wye Agreement, and called Arafat a
"traitor". This was followed by Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, leader of the
Hizballah in Lebanon, who last week called for the assassination of the
traitor Arafat. Also, last week was the third anniversary of the killing
of Shkaki, and movement members organised ceremonies in his memory in
Rafiah and Lebanon. It is possible that the terror attack was also
intended to mark this date.
The fact that Islamic Jihad, and not the Hamas, carried out this attack,
enables Arafat and his men to take harsh action. Arafat and his spokesmen
referred to the perpetrators of the attack as "terrorists who committed a
criminal act" and as "traitors who are helping Israel and serving foreign
interests" (of Iran.)
The Palestinian leadership can use these kinds of terms against a small
and relatively weak movement. They do not currently dare to use such
language against the Hamas, whose strength is great, and whose public
standing is firm. Over the weekend the Palestinian Police arrested Islamic
Jihad activists in the West Bank and closed down offices connected to the
movement. The harsh actions taken against them are also a message from the
PA to Hamas.