DATE=6/15/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-233923 TITLE=ISRAEL / HAMAS (L) BYLINE=AL PESSIN DATELINE=JERUSALEM CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: ISRAEL HAS DECIDED TO ALLOW THE LEADER OF THE MILITANT PALESTINIAN GROUP HAMAS TO RETURN TO GAZA THIS WEEK, IN SPITE OF SECURITY CONCERNS FOLLOWING INFLAMMATORY STATEMENTS HE MADE DURING HIGHLY-PUBLICIZED VISITS TO SEVERAL ARAB COUNTRIES IN RECENT MONTHS. V-O-A'S AL PESSIN REPORTS FROM JERUSALEM. TEXT: ISRAELI OFFICIALS CONFIRM THAT SHEIKH AHMED YASSIN WILL BE ALLOWED TO RETURN TO GAZA WHEN HE IS READY, WHICH EXPECTED TO BE THIS WEEK. THE OFFICIALS SAY THE BALANCE OF OPINIONS IN THE GOVERNMENT AND AMONG SECURITY OFFICERS WAS THAT IT IS BETTER TO ALLOW SHEIKH YASSIN TO RETURN THAN TO KEEP HIM OUT. LAST WEEK, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU SAID THE QUESTION OF THE SHEIKH'S RETURN WAS IMPORTANT AND SENSITIVE, AND WOULD BE DISCUSSED IN WHAT HE CALLED THE "APPROPRIATE SECURITY FORUMS." SOME ISRAELI OFFICIALS AND SECURITY OFFICERS ARGUED THAT ALLOWING SHEIKH YASSIN BACK INTO GAZA WOULD PROVIDE HAMAS WITH ON-THE-SPOT LEADERSHIP AND ACCESS TO THE SUBSTANTIAL SUMS OF MONEY HE IS BELIEVED TO HAVE RAISED DURING HIS TRIP. OTHERS ARGUED THAT KEEPING THE SHEIKH OUT WOULD ANTAGONIZE HAMAS, SPARK MORE ATTACKS AND MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO MONITOR THE GROUP'S ACTIVITIES. GAZA IS AUTONOMOUS, BUT ISRAEL CONTROLS ITS BORDERS. SHEIKH YASSIN SPENT NEARLY TEN YEARS IN ISRAELI JAILS FOR INVOLVEMENT IN TERRORIST ACTIVITIES BEFORE HE WAS RELEASED LAST OCTOBER. PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU AGREED TO SET HIM FREE IN EXCHANGE FOR THE RETURN OF TWO ISRAELI AGENTS WHO HAD BEEN ARRESTED IN JORDAN WHILE TRYING TO ASSASSINATE ANOTHER HAMAS LEADER. THE FOUNDER AND SPIRITUAL LEADER OF HAMAS LEFT GAZA IN FEBRUARY FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT IN EGYPT. HE THEN TRAVELED TO NUMEROUS OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE REGION, WHERE HE REPEATEDLY CALLED FOR ISRAEL'S DESTRUCTION AND RECEIVED PLEDGES OF FINANCIAL AND POLITICAL SUPPORT. (SIGNED) NEB/AWP/JWH 15-Jun-98 8:06 AM EDT (1206 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
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