USA; ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER SILVAN SHALOM COMMENTS ON ASSASSINATION OF HAMAS LEADER SHEIK YASSIN

Record ID: 400457

  • Title: USA; ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER SILVAN SHALOM COMMENTS ON ASSASSINATION OF HAMAS LEADER SHEIK YASSIN
  • Date: 22nd March 2004
  • Summary: (U7) WASHINGTON, D.C. USA (MARCH 22, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. SLV ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER SILVAN SHALOM WALKING OUT OF US STATE DEPARTMENT 0.09 2. SCU SOUNDBITE (English) ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER SILVAN SHALOM SAYING "First, I would like all of you to know that this decision was taken by the Israeli cabinet itself and was not coordinated with the Americ
  • Embargoed: 6th April 2004 13:00
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  • Location: WASHINGTON, D.C. UNITED STATES
  • City:
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVACBEO3QNL2FK5ICCIBXT2QV406
  • Story Text: Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom visits US state department and comments on the
    assassination of Hamas leader Sheik Yassin.


    Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said Israel made the decision to
    kill Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin on Monday (March 22, 2004), on its own volition
    without giving the U.S. advance notice, despite claims made by members of Hamas
    that the U.S. had forewarning.

    Shalom said he hoped killing the paralysed cleric would send a "clear
    message to all the leaders of extremist organizations," that Israel will defend
    itself by striking back against militant groups.

    Sheikh Yassin was assassinated outside a Gaza mosque and at least seven
    others were killed and 15 people were wounded in the attack. that hit as the
    leader and his entourage left dawn prayers. The attack may have intended to
    prevent Hamas from declaring victory if Israeli Prime Minister Sharon goes
    ahead with a planned pullout from Gaza. Israeli security sources said Prime
    Minister Ariel Sharon personally ordered and monitored the helicopter attack.

    "I would like all of you to know that this decision was taken by the
    Israeli cabinet itself and was not coordinated with the American administration
    like the Hamas claimed this morning. We are taking our decisions by our own,
    by ourselves and it was a decision that was taken as a self defense, against
    these terrorist organizations," Shalom said speaking to reporters outside the
    US State Department.

    "Sheikh Yassin was responsible personally and directly to hundreds of
    attacks against Israel that caused us hundreds of casualties. We believe that
    Sheikh Yassin was the driving force of many attacks against Israeli citizens.

    So, what we are trying to do now is to send a very clear message to all the
    leaders of extremist organizations that if they will continue to plan to carry
    out more attacks against Israel, they can't get immunity anymore. Because they
    don't deserve immunity."
    This is the heaviest blow Israel has ever taken against the Palestinian
    Islamic militant group, which is committed to eliminating the state of Israel
    and is behind the killing of hundreds of Israelis over a decade of suicide
    bombings. Hamas has claimed responsibility for dozens of suicide bombings in
    Israel and has already vowed revenge for Yassin's death.

    Shalom said that Israel is prepared to share evidence with the US that will
    prove Yassin was the mastermind behind dozens of suicide bombings.

    "We believe that al Qaeda, Hizbollah and Hamas all of them are motivated by
    the same ideology to fight against those countries that are sharing the same
    values of democracy, freedom, human rights, rule of law and against those
    Muslim countries that they think are too close to the west and to Israel.

    I was talking to Vice President Cheney and to Secretary Powell about the
    operation that was that took place in Gaza and I told him that we have all
    the information of the personal involvement of Sheikh Yassin in all of those
    attacks and if they would like us to give them this information we will be very
    happy to do it."
    Some Israelis, including a member of Sharon's cabinet, Arab leaders and
    many Middle East political analysts, are warning that Yassin's death will
    encourage militants to step up their attacks on the Jewish state. Previous
    assassinations of militants have triggered waves of suicide bombings that have
    turned Israeli buses, restaurants and cafes into charred wrecks and deepened
    violence that has stalled a U.S.-backed peace "road map".


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