By Yossi Melman, Haaretz Correspondent 9-26-04
The assassination of Hamas official Iz a Din al-Sheikh Khalil in Damascus on Sunday has the fingerprints of Mossad intelligence agency chief Meir Dagan all over it, assuming Israel did indeed carry out the hit (at the time of writing, Israel had not yet officially claimed responsibility). When Dagan took up his position as Mossad chief, he placed the goal of striking at terror wherever it may be in the world at the very top of the security and intelligence services list of priorities. Dagan believes that terror must be hit whatever the costs and possible dangers. This is the first time since Israel ran a spy ring in Egypt in the 1950s that such an operation has been successfully carried out in the heart of an Arab country with which Israel is embroiled in a conflict.
Israel killed Khalid al-Wazir (Abu Jihad) in 1988 in Tunisia, which is far away from Israel, has limited military capabilities and is not in active conflict with Israel. The operation to kill Abu Jihad, Yasser Arafat's deputy in the PLO and commander of operations in West Bank, was carried out by the Mossad, Military Intelligence, the Israel Air Force, the Israel Navy and the Sayeret Matkal elite force. Israeli's 1997 botched assassination of Hamas leader Khaled Mashal in Amman took place after Israel had already signed a peace deal with the Jordanians.
Israel has also carried out dozens of operations in Lebanon, including car bombings akin to those seen on Sunday. Lebanon, however, is considered to be Israel's "backyard," where it once had a vast infrastructure, including informers and collaborators built up during its occupation of the southern security zone, as well as having easy and quick access to many areas. The apparent decision to extend Israel's policy of targeted assassinations into Syria is a new stage in Israel's war on terrorism. It is meant to clearly signal to Syria that it no longer enjoys immunity and it must expel all terror group leaders, especially those from Hamas.
One may go as far as to assume that the decision also took into account the U.S.'s tacit support. The Bush administration has issued numerous warnings to Syria to end its support for terrorist groups. This new policy also brings with it new dangers. An escalation in activities against Hamas may prompt the militant group to step up its attacks on Israel. Hamas leaders have so far refrained from issuing orders to attack Jews or Israeli targets abroad. In light of Sunday's assassination, however, this policy may well be reviewed. |
