GAZA CITY: Former Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz yesterday called for the resumption of assassinations Palestinian resistance leaders.
In an interview with Israeli newspaper Ma’arive ahead of Kadima party elections, Mofaz who currently serves as transport minister, suggested Israel reinstate former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s assassination policy.
Asked whether Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas prime minister, should be targeted, Mofaz said: “What we did in 2004 we should have done it in June 2007.” He was referring to the assassination of a number of Palestinian resistance leaders while he was war minister in Sharon’s government.
Mofaz’ statement came in the wake of Kadima party elections slated for next Wednesday. Mofaz is competing with three others to be the leader of the party. Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, described Mofaz’ statements as “ridicules.”
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told reporters that Mofaz’ call to assassinate resistance leaders is “ a ridicules call, and it does not worry us. We are ready for all options, be it peace or confrontation.”
Ibrahim Al-Najjar, a leader of the Islamic Jihad Movement, warned that the transport minister’s comments signaled an impending “wave of assassinations and aggression” against Palestinians. But he said resistance movements would not allow Israel to use Palestinians as political fodder. “The Palestinian resistance will negate all Israeli goals,” he said.
“Israeli leaders are competing among themselves for our blood and all Palestinian parties should unite to prepare for the next wave of Israeli violence,” Al-Najjar told reporters.
Livni leading
Mofaz was obviously trying to show his hard-line credentials after opinion polls yesterday showed Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni led him by at least 15 points ahead of Kadima party election.
The two polls were more favorable to Livni than another survey published on Thursday which showed her lead over Mofaz narrowed to just under five percentage points.
A poll of registered Kadima party voters published by the Ma’arive saw Livni taking 46 percent of the ballots on, with Mofaz scoring 28 percent.
The Yediot Ahronot showed Livni garnering 47 percent and Mofaz taking 32 percent. The polls suggest the Kadima leadership contest will be decided in the first round, with Livni easily passing the 40 percent hurdle to avoid a September 24 run-off.
