Hamas warns against hurting Zeevi's killers

Palestinian prime minister-designate, Ismail Haniyeh, warned Israel against harming the leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, who is besieged by the IDF along with three culprits in the assassination of an Israeli minister in a Jericho jail.

Haniyeh said any harm to Ahmed Saadat and three other Palestinians involved in the assassination of minister Rehavam Zeevi in 2001 will have “serious repercussions on the situation.”

Israel took the decision to enter Jericho after receiving intelligence tips that the Palestinian Authority was planning to release the four men, who were jail in Jericho under international surveillance part of a deal with Israel.

As IDF bulldozers moved in to knock down a wing of the Jericho jail where Saadat is being held, a senior IDF officer said the army will not negotiate with Rehavam’s killers who should surrender or die under the rubble.

“The occupation forces’ operation is a serious escalation and blatant violation of agreements on Palestinian prisoners with Israel,” said Haniyeh.

“We warn against any harm to Saadat and we see the Israeli operation as part of the elections in Israel. This is unacceptable to us and the Palestinian people. These operations will not scare the Palestinian people and won’t dictate surrender to the occupiers. We call on all sides to act responsibly to stop this operation in Jericho and prevent further deterioration,” he added.

Hadash MK Mohammad Barakeh spoke to Saadat who condemned Britain and the United States for instructing their guards at the prison to cooperate with Israel. British and American security guards have been guarding Zeevi’s killers part of a deal between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

MK Mohammad Barakeh slammed Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s decision to arrest the killers of minister Zeevi, labeling the decision a political stunt aimed at boosting his popularity ahead of the election.

“The acting prime minister is in distress over the opinion polls and wants to solve the problem through a prisoners’ parade in Jerusalem,” he said.

Arab MK Ahmad Tibi said the government’s decision is an election stunt and described the operation as a blatant breach of Israel’s agreements with the Palestinian Authority.