Samhadana. 'Resistance must continue'
Photo: Reuters
Abbas. Annulled appointment
Photo: Reuters
Samhadana: Jews our only enemy
In interview to The Sunday Telegraph, incoming Director General of the Palestinian interior ministry Jamal Abu Samhadana says: 'I'll pull the trigger at any time I have to defend my nation. The resistance must continue;' Moves secretly due to threats to his life
The new director general of the PA's interior ministry shows no sign of moderating his statements after taking up his new role.
"We have only one enemy. They are Jews. We have no other enemy. I will continue to carry the rifle and pull the trigger whenever required to defend my people," said Jamal Abu Samhadana, appointed to the role of Director General of the Palestinian interior ministry. Abu Samhadana was later thrown out by PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, but Hamas refused to recognize the move and kept the appointment.
PA Conflict
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Palestinian government rejects calls to cancel appointment of most wanted rocket chief Jamal Samhadana to general supervisor of interior ministry, defends establishment of new security body
Abu Samhadana, a commander of the Popular Resistance Committee, is one of the most senior wanted suspects in the territories, who stands at the head of the Qassam rocket attacks on Israel in recent months. Under his new role, Samhadana rules some of the Palestinian security bodies, and he says he does not plan to end attacks on Israel.
In an interview published in the British Sunday Telegraph, Abu Samhadana said: "The resistance must continue. This will be the nucleus of the future Palestinian army," he said.
Meanwhile it seems Abu Samhadana is taking seriously threats made by sources in Israel who say that despite his appointment, he still forms a target for assassination. During the interview Abu Samhadana referred to his phone as a "spy" which can be used by Israel to track him down and kill him.
Two attempts have been made to kill Samhadana, the most recent of them at the end of the last year when a convoy he was in was attacked by two aerial missiles fired by IDF helicopters.
Abu Samhadana says that he currently drives from place to place alone in an old car which does not attract attention, and during late night hours. He says he does not spend more than one night in the same place and rarely prays in the same mosque twice.
Other than Israel's threats, Abu Samhadana presented his plans in the interview for the issues connected to the interior affairs of the PA in his eyes.
In an attempt to deflect the internal and international criticism on his appointment, he said that the ministry at his disposal will work to end corruption and act against the thieves. "We'll also act against corrupt clerks and against all of the violators of the law," concluded Abu Samhadana.
