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DATE=4/1/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-229053
TITLE=HAMAS KILLING (L)
BYLINE=AL PESSIN
DATELINE=JERUSALEM
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  PALESTINIAN POLICE SAY ONE OF THE MEN KILLED IN AN 
EXPLOSION IN RAMALLAH SUNDAY WAS A TOP LEADER OF THE MILITANT 
PALESTINIAN GROUP HAMAS, AND THAT HE HAD BEEN KILLED BEFORE THE 
EXPLOSION.  V-O-A'S AL PESSIN IN JERUSALEM REPORTS HAMAS BLAMES 
ISRAEL AND HAS VOWED TO RETALIATE. 
TEXT:  THE PALESTINIAN POLICE SAY AN AUTOPSY SHOWS MUHYIDEEN 
AL-SHARIF WAS SHOT DEAD BEFORE THE BOMB WENT OFF.  HE WAS THE 
LEADER OF THE HAMAS MILITARY WING, WHICH HAS CARRIED OUT A SERIES
OF SUICIDE BOMBINGS AND OTHER ATTACKS AGAINST ISRAELIS.
A SENIOR HAMAS POLITICAL LEADER, ABDUL-AZIZ RANTISI, IMMEDIATELY 
BLAMED ISRAEL FOR THE KILLING AND PREDICTED HAMAS WILL RETALIATE,
AS IT DID WITH A SERIES OF BOMBINGS TWO YEARS AGO WHEN ITS 
PREVIOUS MILITARY LEADER, YEHIYA AYYASH, WAS KILLED APPARENTLY BY
ISRAELI AGENTS. 
                   ///  RANTISI ACTUALITY  ///
         I BELIEVE THAT THE ISRAELI MOSSAD (INTELLIGENCE SERVICE)
         IS RESPONSIBLE ABOUT THAT TERRORIST ACTION AGAINST 
         MUHYIDEEN AL-SHARIF.  I AM A POLITICIAN,  NOT  A MEMBER 
         OR A LEADER OF THE MILITARY WING OF HAMAS.  BUT 
         ACCORDING (TO) THE PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE, HAMAS HAS 
         REVENGED.  SO WE EXPECT THE SAME REACTION FROM THE 
         MILITARY WING.  
                     ///  END ACTUALITY  ///
MR. RANTISI SAYS ISRAEL CONSIDERED MR. AL-SHARIF "NUMBER ONE" ON 
ITS "MOST WANTED" LIST, AND HAD THREATENED TO KILL HIM MANY 
TIMES.
AS A GENERAL POLICY, ISRAEL SAYS IT HAS THE RIGHT TO FIGHT 
TERRORISTS ANYWHERE, ANY TIME, AND BY ANY MEANS.  BUT IT ALSO 
USUALLY DOES NOT COMMENT ON SUCH ALLEGED INTELLIGENCE OPERATIONS.
ON WEDNESDAY, HOWEVER, PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU WAS 
QUICK TO DENY ANY ISRAELI INVOLVEMENT IN THE LATEST KILLING.  
THAT DENIAL MIGHT  NOT  IMPRESS MANY PALESTINIANS.  BUT ISRAELI 
GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN DAVID BAR ILLAN SCOFFED AT THE SUGGESTION 
MR. AL-SHARIF'S DEATH COULD SPARK A VIOLENT REACTION. 
                  ///  BAR ILLAN ACTUALITY  ///
         OBVIOUSLY, WHEN HAMAS WANTS TO COMMIT A TERRORIST ACT, 
         THEY'LL DO SO.  SOMETIMES THEY FIND A CONVENIENT EXCUSE 
         OR SOMETHING TO PEG IT ON FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS PURPOSES.
         BUT IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE DESIRE TO WAGE WAR 
         AGAINST ISRAEL.  WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE IS SETTING THE 
         RECORD STRAIGHT.  WE HAD ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH 
         THIS KILLING, AND WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT IT WAS 
         AL-SHARIF UNTIL IT WAS ANNOUNCED BY THE PALESTINIANS.  
                     ///  END ACTUALITY  ///
MR. BAR ILLAN SAYS ISRAEL BELIEVES THE AL-SHARIF KILLING WAS PART
OF AN INTERNAL HAMAS DISPUTE, WHICH HAMAS HAS DENIED.
ISRAELI AND PALESTINIAN OFFICIALS ORIGINALLY SAID SUNDAY'S 
EXPLOSION WAS A HAMAS CAR-BOMB INTENDED FOR USE INSIDE ISRAEL.  
NOW, THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY CALLS THE CASE "A CONFUSING 
PUZZLE," AND SAYS IT IS STILL INVESTIGATING TO DETERMINE WHO IS 
RESPONSIBLE.  (SIGNED)  
NEB/AWP/JWH
01-Apr-98 9:04 AM EST (1404 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.