(Washington Times) Editorial - Israel's withdrawal from Gaza appears very likely to occur under fire. Mr. Abbas has thus far given no indication that he is prepared to do much of anything to rein in Hamas and the other rejectionist groups who operate in PA-controlled territory. Last Wednesday, Mahmoud al-Zahar, a senior Hamas operative in Gaza, warned that Hamas would likely continue to attack Israel after it leaves Gaza "in order to liberate the West Bank and Jerusalem." There is no question that Hamas is committed to Israel's destruction. It continues to fire rockets at Israel, and it has been using the "ceasefire" in place since February to rebuild a terror network that had been decimated by Israel's security services in recent years. An article published June 28 on the Web site of Hamas' military wing discusses the advantages of targeting Jerusalem and Tel Aviv with rockets. In the increasingly lawless West Bank and Gaza, Palestinian gangs and militias, affiliated with Fatah, openly settle personal disputes with guns. If Mr. Abbas fails to exert some leadership, he will bring catastrophe and ruin to his people.
2005-07-11 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive