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Focus on Hamas

(Ha'aretz) Aluf Benn - Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and senior security officials told the cabinet last Wednesday following the Haifa bombing that the extensive operations in the West Bank enabled the IDF to take control over the terror infrastructure there, despite the fact that Palestinians still manage to carry out attacks from time to time, and that military efforts are focused now on hitting the Hamas infrastructure based in the Gaza Strip. Security officials reiterated that the Palestinian Authority has enough manpower to control Hamas in Gaza, but Arafat doesn't want to do that and doesn't allow his men to act. As a result, Hamas is threatening to take control over the Strip and present a ruling alternative to the PA. The U.S. administration avoided criticizing recent IDF operations in Gaza and did not pressure Israel to stop. Israel was condemned by U.S. government spokesmen for harming Palestinian civilians and for the humanitarian distress in the territories, but in private talks and in diplomatic channels, the Americans avoided raising the issue. Israel is being attacked, and President Bush and the U.S. administration accept Israel's right to defend itself and deal with those behind the terror.
2003-03-11 00:00:00
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