Quartet criticizes Israel for assassination of Qawasmeh in Hebron

Monday June 23, 2003 01:00 by IMEMC & Agencies

relation to the assassination

Special – IMEMC June 23 2003 Israeli official sources rejected the Quartet criticism of Israel in relation to the assassination of Abdullah Qawasmeh, the leader of Alqassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas in the Palestinian West Bank. The source stated that the Quartet and Europeans in particular should know that terrorism kills innocent Israelis. The sources added that instead of criticizing Israel , the Quartet should pressure the PA to fight terrorism. On the other hand, the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Dan Kurtzer, called the Israeli Prime Minister's Office and said that Powell had only expressed sorrow over the fact that the situation in the Middle East leads to such measures being taken. The Quartet which held a meeting in Jordan criticized Israel for the latest assasination of Qawasemeh. The final meeting announcement expressed the deep concerns of the Quartet against Israeli military operations that lead to the death of innocent Palestinians. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Anan, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, Greek Foreign Minister George Pabandrio, and Khafeer Solana, Secretery of Foreign Affairs in the European Union took part in this meeting. Secretary Powell, commenting on the assasination of Qawasmeh, expressed regret that the process is trapped between military acts and counter military acts. “I regret we had an incident that could be an impediment to progress." He stressed the importance of pushing the process forward. Powell refused to comment on whether Qawasmeh was a “ticking bomb� and warned Israel against harming people who do not present a direct threat. Secretary Solana denounced the Israeli assasination of Qawasmeh. He warned that such operations will hinder the ability to improve the situation especially in this time when peace efforts are intensified. A Palestinian official source expressed concern that this Israeli policy can destroy the chances for peace. He made a reference to the Israeli assasination of Yahi Ayash, the leader of Alqassam Brigades in 1996. He added, “at that time the assasination of Ayash and the counter attacks that followed destroyed the year’s efforts of the PA and led the area again into bloodshed.�

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