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Palestinian militants reject Al Qaedaâs target choice
 Among the first to condemn the suicide bombings in Jordan were Palestinian militants anxious to show they have no sympathy with Al Qaedaâs choice of targets, even if the group was emulating their own bomb-belt tactics. There was no suggestion the Palestinian factions were renouncing the validity of blowing up Israeli civilians, but their swift rejection of the Amman attacks demonstrated their desire to put daylight between themselves and Qaeda jihadists. âWe condemn the style, the random killings,â said Nafez Azzam of the Islamic Jihad group, which killed six Israeli market traders and shoppers in a suicide bombing last month. âWe condemn the killing of innocents anywhere regardless of belief and religion,â said Azzam. But he said âinnocentsâ did not cover Israeli civilians, all seen by Islamic Jihad as enemies in a state it wants to destroy. Israel is not alone in viewing this distinction as repugnant. The Palestinian Authority does not accept it, still less the international community or human rights groups. âThe double standard that exists in certain quarters that suicide bombing Jews is legitimate and suicide bombing others is not is simply that - a double standard - which should be condemned by everyone,â said Mark Regev of Israelâs Foreign Ministry. The Amman bombings were claimed by Al Qaeda in Iraq, led by Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, which said they were to punish Jordan for supporting âthe Jews and Crusadersâ. Posted by: Fred 2005-11-12 |
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