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For the first time, Israel staged an attack against a terrorist leader in Syria. For decades, Syria has provided sanctuary and material support for anti-Israel terrorist organizations. On September 26, Hamas leader Iz a-Din al Sheikh Khalil died in Damascus when his car exploded. Israel has been warning Syria in stronger and stronger terms that Syrian support for several anti-Israeli terrorist organizations would not be tolerated. The Syrian support includes allowing the Lebanon based Hizbollah terrorist organization to receive long range (up to 60 kilometers) missiles from Iran in 2002. The missiles have been stored in Lebanon (which is occupied by the Syrian army) for several years, and Israel has told Syria that if the missiles are used against Israel, Syria will be attacked.
Israel killed Khalil in response to a recent Hamas suicide bombing inside Israel. Offensive operations against Hamas in the Palestinian controlled West Bank and Gaza have stopped most terror attacks in Israel. And it has been found that the best way to really get a message to terrorist organization is to attack the senior leaders. Khalil was one of the most senior Hamas leaders living outside Israel. The attacks so angered Hamas that they quickly announced that they would now attack Israelis, and Jews, outside of Israel. This was quickly retracted, as such a move would make Hamas a major target for American anti-terrorist operations. The word has spread through terrorist organizations that the American led war on terror is indeed world wide, and can be particularly difficult to deal with if the anti-terror forces get on your case. Hamas has its hands full with the Israelis, and has no desire to take on American Special Forces and Delta Force, or British and Australian SAS.
From StrategyPage.com
Posted by Ted at September 29, 2004 8:44 PM