Hamas Says Attacks Against Israel Will Continue

May 8, 2002

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — The spiritual leader of Hamas said Israel's military operation in the West Bank had not crippled the organization and on Wednesday vowed additional attacks against Israel. Sheik Ahmed Yassin remarks came in an interview with The Associated Press a day after the group carried out a suicide bombing south of Tel Aviv that killed 15 Israelis.

Yassin pledged retaliation for what he claimed massacres carried out by Israeli forces in the Jenin refugee camp and the West Bank.

"When they harm and hurt Palestinian civilians their civilians will be harmed," he said. "We are trying to prove another thing: that the operation they carried out in the West Bank has failed and will not bring them security."

Israel has repeatedly denied charges of a massacre, saying 56 Palestinians were killed during the Jenin incursion, the vast majority Palestinian gunmen. Human rights groups have said 22 civilians were killed.

Hamas' leadership is in Gaza and has survived the Israeli offensive pretty much in tact. Although Hamas' forces in the West Bank have been targeted by Israel, Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority has suffered greater damage in terms of offices hit and facilities damaged in Gaza as well as the West Bank.

"The Palestinian people will continue the armed struggle and resistance as long as occupation exists on our land," the blind and paraplegic Yassin said. "We fear God only and we don't fear the aggression."

Hamas took responsibility Tuesday for a suicide bombing in a suburb Rishon Letzion, 10 miles south of Tel Aviv. The bomber walked into the pool hall with a suitcase and a belt packed with explosives and metal objects. Hamas did not identify the bomber.

Yassin said the Palestinians had no other means of defense in facing the Israeli military offensives than attacking Israelis.

Israel arrested two Hamas leaders in the West Bank on Wednesday.

"When they harm and hurt Palestinian civilians their civilians will be harmed," he said. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel "Sharon began this war and this is a normal reaction to the Israeli massacres against Palestinians."

Sharon returned to Israel on Wednesday after talks in Washington where he pledged a swift response to the Hamas attack. Palestinian officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they expected Israel to target Gaza — where Hamas is based.

Arafat placed Yassin under house arrest as part of a crackdown on militants in December but later released him. On Wednesday, Arafat condemned the bombing and ordered his security forces to go after those responsible for terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians.

"I gave my orders and directions to all the Palestinian security forces to confront and prevent all terror attacks against Israeli civilians from any Palestinian side or parties and at the same time to confront any aggression or attack on Palestinian civilians, whether by Israeli soldiers or settlers, which we all condemn," Arafat said. He did not mention Hamas by name.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2002/05/08/hamas.htm