Hamas threatens to kill Israeli ministers
Eye for an eye: Hamas will target Israeli ministers should Jewish State target group leaders, senior figure warns; Hamas spokesman says PM Olmert's threats do not scare terror group and won't affect its strategy
Mushir al-Masri threatened that "at any Israeli stupidity of targeting Hamas leaders or ministers, Hamas will likewise take action."
In a statement issued by Hamas Saturday, the group vowed to continue its struggle for "Palestinian rights" and warned that all options were open. A Hamas spokesman said that threats made by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert "do not scare us and will not affect the Hamas movement's strategy."
"These threats follow the failure of all the plans made by the despicable Zionist government to secure its political objectives," he said. "These objectives aimed to topple the Hamas movement…and eliminate the public's democratic choice."
Minister assassinated in 2001
Last week, a spokesman for Hamas' military wing said that a Palestinian sniper who fired at a group of Israelis and visiting Canadians near Gaza was targeting Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter. The minister's aide was hurt in the attack.
The spokesman said that the attack came in the framework of "Palestinian resistance acts in response to enemy crimes and to the continued siege on the Strip."
In October 2001, members of Islamic Jihad assassinated Minister Rehavam Ze'evi at his hotel room in Jerusalem.
News agencies contributed to the report
