(Washington Post) "We're starting to make it more personal," said a senior State Department official, "making clear we don't differentiate between parts of the organization." Former ambassador to Israel Edward S. Walker, Jr., now president of the Middle East Institute, said the move constitutes a show of support for Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, because a move that weakens Hamas strengthens Abbas. The six leaders were identified by the Treasury Department as Sheik Ahmed Yassin, the leader of Hamas in Gaza; Imad Khalil Al-Alami, a member of the Hamas Political Bureau in Damascus; Usama Hamdan, a senior Hamas leader in Lebanon; Khalid Mishaal, head of the Hamas Political Bureau in Damascus; Mousa Abu Marzook, deputy chief of the Political Bureau in Syria; and Abdel Aziz Rantisi, a Hamas leader in Gaza.
2003-08-25 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive