"Barak has opened the gates of hellish revenge," said Fateh head Marwan Barghouti earlier Sunday, reported the Jerusalem Post.
Barghouthi made the statement in response to Sunday’s killing of Fateh leader Thabet Thabet at the hands of Israeli commandos, said the paper.
Thabet, secretary of Fateh in Tulkarm died early in the day from a bullet wound to the chest as he was entering his home in the Palestinian Authority controlled town, the daily added.
The Palestinian Authority said it held Prime Minister Ehud Barak personally responsible for Thabet's death, calling it a political assassination.
The PA said an Israeli undercover unit killed Thabet and that there was a gunfight.
Israeli military sources said they were unaware of any army activity in the area, the paper added.
Israel adopted the policy of assassination against key Palestinian figures in order to curb the Palestinian Intifada which has left at least 350 Palestinians and more than 40 Israelis killed. This policy has resulted in the death of six Fateh leaders, and another six from Hamas.
The Intifada started on the 28th of September 2000 when hawkish Likud party leader Ariel Sharon visited Al Aqsa Mosque. Arab and international parties blamed the resulting violence on the controversial visit.
The 14 Palestinian factions steering the Intifada insist that the uprising will continue until the end of the Israeli occupation and the establishment of an independent state – Albawaba.com
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
