DATE=11/1/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-241011
TITLE=HAMAS THREAT (L)
BYLINE=AL PESSIN
DATELINE=JERUSALEM
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE MILITANT PALESTINIAN GROUP HAMAS SAYS IT WILL TURN
THE POWER OF ITS MILITARY WING AGAINST PALESTINIAN-AUTHORITY
TARGETS IN RESPONSE TO THE CRACKDOWN ON MILITANT GROUPS THE
AUTHORITY LAUNCHED LAST WEEK. CORRESPONDENT AL PESSIN REPORTS
FROM JERUSALEM.
TEXT: IN A LEAFLET SENT TO NEWS ORGANIZATIONS, THE HAMAS
MILITARY WING ACCUSES YASSER ARAFAT'S PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY OF
TREASON AND SAYS -- THERE IS NO ROOM FOR SELF-CONTROL OR SILENCE
ANY MORE. IT SAYS THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY IS LOYAL TO ISRAEL,
AND ITS OFFICIALS AND SECURITY FORCES WILL NOT BE SAFE FROM HAMAS
ATTACKS.
LAST WEEK, THE AUTHORITY ARRESTED ABOUT 100 HAMAS MEMBERS AND PUT
ITS SPIRITUAL LEADER UNDER HOUSE ARREST. PALESTINIAN OFFICIALS
WERE ANGRY HAMAS HAD TRIED TO ATTACK AN ISRAELI SCHOOL BUS INSIDE
THE GAZA STRIP IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE WYE RIVER AGREEMENT WAS
SIGNED.
THE AGREEMENT REQUIRES A PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY CRACKDOWN ON HAMAS
AND OTHER VIOLENT MILITANT GROUPS.
PALESTINIANS HAVE LONG BEEN CONCERNED THAT OPEN CONFRONTATION
BETWEEN HAMAS AND THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY MIGHT LEAD TO A CIVIL
WAR. MOST PALESTINIANS SUPPORT THE AUTHORITY AND ITS MODERATE
APPROACH, BUT MANY ALSO BELIEVE GROUPS LIKE HAMAS KEEP NECESSARY
PRESSURE ON ISRAEL.
PALESTINIAN RESEARCHER GHASSAN AL-KHATIB OF THE JERUSALEM MEDIA
COMMUNICATIONS CENTER EXPRESSES DOUBT ABOUT THE AUTHENTICITY OF
HAMAS COMMUNIQUE. MR. AL-KHATIB SAYS THE CURRENT PALESTINIAN
CRACKDOWN ON MILITANT GROUPS IS NOT ANY WIDER THAN TWO PREVIOUS
CRACKDOWNS HAVE BEEN, EXCEPT FOR THE HOUSE ARREST OF THE HAMAS
SPIRITUAL LEADER, SHEIKH AHMED YASSIN.
MR.AL-KHATIB SAYS HE DOES NOT BELIEVE THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF A
MAJOR CONFRONTATION BETWEEN HAMAS AND THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY.
/// AL-KHATIB ACTUALITY ///
MY ANALYSIS IS THAT HAMAS WILL NOT GET INTO, OR WILL NOT
CONTRIBUTE TO PUSHING THE RELATIONS TOWARD
CONFRONTATIONS AND CIVIL WAR.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
MR. AL-KHATIB SAYS HAMAS DOES NOT WANT ITS POPULAR SOCIAL WELFARE
INFRASTRUCTURE DESTROYED, AND THE AUTONOMY AUTHORITY IS NOT READY
TO FORCE PALESTINIANS TO CHOOSE BETWEEN ITSELF AND HAMAS UNTIL
REAL RESULTS OF THE PEACE PROCESS ARE SEEN.
/// OPT // AL-KHATIB ACTUALITY ///
WITHOUT PROGRESS IN THE PEACE PROCESS, THE PALESTINIAN
AUTHORITY CAN NEVER BE SUCCESSFUL IN FIGHTING HAMAS.
THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY, OR THE ISRAELI AUTHORITY, CAN
NEVER OVERCOME HAMAS WITHOUT POLITICAL PROGRESS, BECAUSE
AS LONG AS THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE DO NOT SEE THAT THIS
PEACE PROCESS IS BRINGING THEM NEARER TO THEIR
LEGITIMATE OBJECTIVES, THEN THEY WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK
FOR ALTERNATIVES.
/// END ACTUALITY // END OPT ///
PALESTINIAN CABINET MEMBER IMAD FALOUJI, A FORMER LEADING MEMBER
OF HAMAS, ALSO BELIEVES THE CURRENT TENSION BETWEEN HAMAS AND THE
PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY WILL NOT LAST LONG. HE VISITED SHEIKH
YASSIN AND CARRIED A MESSAGE FROM HIM BACK TO MR. ARAFAT.
THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY HAS RELEASED A FEW OF THE MILITANT
ACTIVISTS IT ARRESTED FRIDAY.
ISRAEL DEMANDS THE CRACKDOWN NOT BE TEMPORARY, AND SAYS IT WILL
NOT FULFILL ITS COMMITMENT TO HAND OVER MORE TERRITORY IF THE
PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY ENGAGES IN WHAT IT CALLS A "REVOLVING DOOR"
POLICY -- ARRESTING MILITANTS, ONLY TO LET THEM GO A SHORT TIME
LATER. (SIGNED)
NEB/AWP/DW/RAE
01-Nov-98 11:20 AM EST (1620 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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