Posted on 03/14/2006 3:48:32 AM PST by Hannah Senesh
Troops enter Jericho to arrest killers of minister Rehavam Zeevi, who are held at prison in West Bank city; exchanges of gunfire outside jail compound ensue, two Palestinians killed, nine wounded. IDF bulldozers start to knock down parts of jail. IDF officer tells Ynet 'terrorists can either surrender or die under rubble.' PA announced two weeks ago it would release killers
Israeli security forces entered Jericho on Tuesday morning to arrest the killers of minister Rehavam Zeevi, who are held at a prison in the West Bank city.
The forces proceeded to surround the jail compound where Ahmed Saadat and three other members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine are imprisoned over the assassination of Zeevi.
Yamam (special police counter-terrorism unit) officers took position on the prison’s roof, while additional security forces blocked the roads leading to the prison. Exchanges of gunfire ensued, and Saadat and his men were called to surrender. Two Palestinians were killed in the clashes and nine others were wounded. No Israelis were hurt in the gunfight.
Saadat said from inside the prison that he does not intend to turn himself in.
IDF bulldozers have started to knock down parts of the jail.
A senior IDF officer told Ynet that the terrorists can either surrender or die under the rubble of the jail which is being knocked down by army bulldozers.
“We are not holding negotiations with those inside the jail. They either surrender or die,” the officer said, adding that 44 prisoners surrendered so far.
Israel’s decision to enter Jericho was taken after the IDF received information that the Palestinian Authority intends on releasing Saadat and his cellmates, who were held there under international supervision.
Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz instructed the IDF to draw a plan to arrest Ahmed Saadat, the leader of the group behind the assassination, and three other accomplices.
Under an international deal, Israel agreed that Saadat and his accomplices be held in Jericho under American and British surveillance, but following Tuesday's announcement by Akram Rajoub, director of Palestinian Preventive Security in Jericho, that the British and American supervisors had left the prison, the IDF was instructed to act.
PLFP members asked Hamas’ intervention with leader Mahmoud Abbas to release Saadat, who was elected to the Palestinian parliament in the January elections. Abbas said he will not oppose the release of Saadat but warned that Israel may arrest or assassinate him should he be freed.
Saadat, who served jail terms in Israel, was appointed as head of the PLFP after the assassination of his predecessor Abu Ali Mustafa, who was assassinated by the IDF in the early days of the intifada.
The PLFP assassinated minister Zeevi in a Jerusalem hotel in 2001 to avenge the death of its leader.
The four wanted men also include Fouad Shoubaki, who was involved in the Katrina A arms ship, which was intercepted by the Israeli navy.
Following the raid the Israel Prison Service decided to raise the alert level in all prisons where Palestinian security prisoners are being held, fearing they may riot and disrupt order.
The IDF said in a statement “Following breaches of agreements and commitments by the Palestinians regarding the arrest of minister Zeevi’s killers and other terrorists in the Jericho prison, and after international factors who were responsible for overseeing the commitments left the city as a result of these breaches, IDF forces are operating under the instruction of the government.”
It's always someone else's fault. Always.
I don't see why anyone agreed to that stupid deal. - Then again, the MSM states that Olmert is going to sweep Bibi under the rug of history, so go figure
I think it is time for us to look the other way, and let the Israelis do whatever needs to be done. WHATEVER needs to be done... bears repeating.
LLS
Somehow, the Israelis always know how to handle these things. They don't let PC get in the way of defending their lives.
Rachel Corrie the vermin!
agreed,,,we should take lessons from the IDF....they are fierce and do what they want and the heck with what the world thinks....Long Live Israel....
It's no accident that U.S. fatalities in Iraq are declining as things heat up in Israel.
I'd give them a 2 hour surrender ultimatum and then level the place to fine rubble. Too much coddling of terrorists everywhere, but then the PC-idiots in Europe, the UN, and here in our Demagogic Party make it very difficult to actually fight terrorism.
Sounds like a good solution to the whole Palestinian problem, especially for Gaza.
All of the Palestinian territory, right?
All of the Palestinian territory, right?
No problem from me, what are they waiting for.????
"agreed,,,we should take lessons from the IDF....they are fierce and do what they want and the heck with what the world thinks....Long Live Israel...."
Yes - and they do it with PRECISION!. They get the guilty ones. They hit the target and often ONLY the target!
Maybe the U.S. will surround the Federal court and get Moussaoui so he can be tried by a military tribunal.
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