Rice warns Syria to cease terror support
Photo: Reuters
Abetting Islamic Jihad: Bashar Assad
Photo: AP
Terror attack in Natanya in which 4 people were murdered
Photo: Yaron Brenner
Iranian volunteers to become suicide bombers
Photo: AP
U.S.: Iran, Syria attacking Israel via terror
Rice says Syria harbors and aids Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Rumsfeld highlights Iranian terror support operations
Terror in Netanya
By Raanan Ben-Zur and Avi Cohen
VIDEO: Names Netanya victims cleared for publication; 41 still hospitalized
Rice also demanded that the Palestinian Authority track down and bring to justice those responsible for the suicide bomb attack in Netanya on Tuesday in which four people were murdered.
“I condemn in every way possible the murderous terrorist attack in Netanya which was claimed by the Islamic Jihad. This is an attack on Israeli civilians and also against the aspirations of the Palestinian people,” said Rice.
She turned to Syria, saying it was “essential that Syria end its support for terror organizations, especially those who receive support in Damascus, like Islamic Jihad.”
While Rice pointed an accusatory finger at Syria, U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said he thought Iran was also responsible for the Natanya terror attack.
In a Pentagon press conference, Rumseld said, “regarding the terrorist attack in Israel, we know that Iran is on the terror list. We know that Iran is helping Hizbullah and other terrorist organizations by supplying them with equipment and people through Damascus, via Beirut, and to attack positions against Israel, for many years now.”
Although Rumsfeld said he did not have information tying Iran to the Netanya attack, he emphasized that “this is Iran’s stance, to harm Israel.”
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas is expected to arrive in Gaza Thursday, in order to meet with Palestinian factions and discuss the latest developments in light of the Netanya attack.
Palestinian sources say the meeting will be difficult. Abu Mazen will ask all of the factions to stand by the ceasefire commitments made at a Cairo summit.
Abu Mazen’s spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudayna, admitted for the first time that Palestinian groups are violating the ceasefire, and called for Palestinian groups to do everything to guard the “calming down” period.
Together with this, Rudayna accused Israel of partial responsibility for the Netanya terror attack, accusing Israel of “pursuing a policy to harm Palestinians.”
Iran
Roee Nahmias
(VIDEO) MEMRI obtains Arab TV broadcast showing Iranian drive to recruit tens of thousands of suicide terrorists
Sheikh Abudullah Shami, a senior cleric in the Islamic Jihad movement, said his group took Israel’s threats seriously. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said earlier he had instructed the IDF to do as much harm as possible to Islamic Jihad.
“The movement is preparing itself for an extensive Israeli operation,” said Shami. The terror leader said he instructed Jihad members to take precautions.
