Hamas boss Sh. Abdul Aziz Rantissi 'killed in air strike'

[Saxardiid]

Hamas boss Sh. Abdul Aziz Rantissi 'killed in air strike'

May Allah give sheikh Rantissi Jannah and forgive all his dunuub. Aamiin.

 

 

 

The head of the militant Islamic movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Abdul Aziz Rantissi, has been killed in an attack on his vehicle.

Mr Rantissi was driving his car in a Gaza suburb as an Israeli helicopter fired missiles at it, witnesses say.

 

At least two other people were also killed and several more wounded.

 

The attack came hours after a suicide bomber killed himself and an Israeli soldier at the Erez checkpoint just north of the city.

 

The BBC's Peter Greste, in Gaza City, says people are speculating that the attack was in response to the suicide bombing.

 

The militant Hamas leader was one of Israel's top targets after it assassinated Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin in an airstrike last month.

 

'Israeli crime'

 

The Palestinian Authority condemned the killing of Abdel-Aziz al-Rantissi, accusing Israeli of "state terror".

 

"We condemn in the strongest possible terms this Israeli crime and state terror," he said.

 

"It is evident now to the world that the Palestinian people need international protection more than ever," Palestinian cabinet minister Saeb Erekat told Reuters.

 

Mr Rantissi was one of the most forceful spokesmen against compromise with Israel.

 

He described himself as one of seven founders of Hamas and was considered second in importance only to Sheikh Yassin

 

Khaled Meshaal - Hamas' politburo chief in exile - was declared the group's overall leader after Yassin was killed.

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[Gabbal]

What people don't seem to understand is that Israel is testing the water. Israel is trying to see how far she can go, without any consequence, atleast from the international community. I think the Palestinian issue will be our ticket to hell, Allah (SWT) will surely ask us what did we do to help our bretheren in Palestine.

[Cawralo]

Was this a suprise? Bush pretty much gave Ariel the green light to do whatever he wish. Sharon is now above any UN-resolution and the international laws between countries.

 

When will the arab countries unite and pose economic sanctions towards the us? Arabs, like somalis, have too much 'respect' for authorities. Our leaders dont seem to know when it's time to resign, and we (the ppl) are too dumb to revolt.

[General Duke]

Profile: Dr Abd Al-Aziz al-Rantisi

 

 

Saturday 17 April 2004, 22:04 Makka Time, 19:04 GMT

 

 

Al-Rantisi's support for armed resistance cost him his life

 

A spokesman for Hamas in Gaza, Dr Abd Al-Aziz al-Rantisi was one of the most forceful proponents for the right of Palestinians to resist occupation.

 

 

He described himself as one of the seven founders of Hamas and was considered by many as second only in importance to the group's crippled spiritual leader, Shaikh Ahmad Yasin.

 

Yasin was assassinated in a similar missile attack by Israel in March.

 

A paediatrician by training, Dr al-Rantisi was a popular figure in Gaza and defended any and all means that would force Israeli troops and illegal settlers to leave Palestine.

 

Background

 

A committed Islamist, al-Rantisi rose to prominence with Hamas during the first Palestinian Intifada in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

 

He was arrested by Israel several times, spending as much as two and a half years in prison on one occasion.

 

In late 1992, the doctor was among more than 400 Palestinians deported to Lebanon.

 

He became a spokesman for the deportees in his camp, Marj al-Zahur.

 

After his return to Gaza, he proved no more popular with Yasir Arafat's Palestinian Authority than he had been with the Israeli government.

 

PA arrest

 

Palestinian officials arrested him in 1998 after he demanded that a number of senior PA figures should resign.

 

 

Damascus-based Khalid Mishaal

now most senior Hamas figure

 

[

The Palestinian High Court of Justice ordered his release two months after he was arrested.

 

He remained a regular critic of the PA, condemning it for its apparent willingness to compromise with Israel as part of the road map peace plan.

 

Al-Rantisi criticised Prime Minister Mahmud Abbas for participating in a conference with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and US President George Bush in Jordan in June 2003.

 

Previous escape

 

In 2003, al-Rantisi survived an Israeli assassination attempt.

 

Suffering leg, arm and chest wounds, the spokesman escaped a US-made Apache helicopter gunship attack.

 

The helicopter fired seven missiles on his car, and killed two passersby - a mother and her five-year-old daughter.

 

His death leaves Khalid Mishaal - Hamas' politburo chief living in exile – as the most senior and best-known representative for the Islamist resistance movement.

[General Duke]

Rantissi said in a BBC interview not long before his death that if he had the choice between dying because of a heart attack or an Apache helicopter he would choose the latter. In exuberant homage to this preference for martyrdom over natural death an unknown graffiti artist had early yesterday covered a wall close to Mr Rantissi's home with his own epitaph in Arabic for the Hamas leader: "You got what you wanted, Abu Mohammed [father of Mohammed] You win."

 

SOURCE THE INDEPENDENT.CO.UK

[General Duke]

Quotes by Hamas Leader Dr Abdel Aziz Rantisi

 

Associated Press

 

 

Recent quotes from Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantisi, who was assassinated Saturday by Israel.

 

"We knew that Bush is the enemy of God, the enemy of Islam and Muslims. America declared war against God. Sharon declared war against God and God declared war against America, Bush and Sharon. ... The war of God continues against them, and I can see the victory coming up from the land of Palestine by the hand of Hamas." - Last month, after the United States vetoed an United Nations Security Council resoultion condemning Israel for assassinating Hamas founder Sheik Ahmed Yassin.

 

"We will be unified in the trenches of resistance. We will not surrender, we will never surrender to Israeli terror." - Last month, after being selected Hamas leader in Gaza after Yassin was killed.

 

"Yassin is a man in a nation, and a nation in a man. And the retaliation of this nation will be of the size of this man. ... You will see deeds not words." - Last month, after Yassin's assassination.

 

"We will all die one day. Nothing will change. If by Apache or by cardiac arrest, I prefer Apache." - Last month, after Yassin's assassination

 

_ "This operation, whoever is behind it, is a natural reaction for the bloody aggression against our people." - Last September, after deadly suicide bombings at a bus stop crowded with Israeli soldiers near Rishon Letzion and five hours later at a Jerusalem nightspot.

 

"They think that targeting leaders will stop Jihad (holy war). They are mistaken. ... All of us in Hamas from top to bottom are looking to become like Abu Shanab." - Last August, after Israel killed Yassin aide Ismail Abu Shanab.

 

"The word cease-fire is not in our dictionary. ... Resistance will continue until we uproot them from our homeland." - Last June, as Egypt tried to work out a truce.

 

"The Zionists will pay an expensive price for all of their crimes." - Last June, from his hospital bed after a deadly bus bombing in Jerusalem that followed Israel's attempt to kill him.